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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27121081">Scare Tactics</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/usa123/pseuds/usa123'>usa123</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Supergirl (TV 2015)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alex Danvers &amp; Winn Schott Jr. Friendship, Drama, Gen, Hurt Winn Schott Jr., Hurt/Comfort, James Olsen &amp; Winn Schott Jr. Friendship, Suspense, Team as Family, superfriends - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-10-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 18:16:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>35,100</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27121081</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/usa123/pseuds/usa123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>"I don't have… any money,” Winn gasped as he felt something warm dripping down his cheek. His arm was burning fiercely, his wrist twisted up between his shoulder blades.<br/>“I don’t want your money,” a man’s voice, low and deep, growled. “I want you to leave National City, Toyman Jr.”</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>129</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Alternatively titled, "Winn Schott's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Week" or "If no one else is going to whump Winn during Whumptober, I guess I'm going to have to do it myself".</p><p>Hope you guys enjoy!</p><p>Quick note: this fic is set ambiguously during the end of Season Two.  Maggie exists, Lyra does not.  M'gann has returned to Mars, but there's no Daxamite drama. Clear as mud, right?</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>Prologue</em>
</p><p>It was late Sunday night when, in a small suburb of National City named Gemstone Valley, a dark-haired man was jolted from a dead sleep. He shot upright, one hand clutching at his chest, which was heaving at almost an Olympic rate, the other grabbing at his sheets to ground himself, as he watched the gavel from his nightmare bang down over and over again, each hit irreparably changing the course of his life.</p><p>“Oh, dad,” the man mumbled, once he had the breath to do so. “What did you do?”</p>
<hr/><p>
  <em>Chapter One</em>
</p><p>Around the same time, Winn walked into the building which housed the DEO and promptly yawned so aggressively his jaw cracked. He was running on less than two hours of sleep, after being out late Guardianing with James and having been paged to come in about an hour ago.</p><p>He nodded to Berta, the nighttime security guard, then slipped up next to Alex, who was standing at the elevator bank, trying and failing to slide a credit card through the ID scanner instead of her badge. Without a word, Winn pulled her badge away from the retractable clip on her hip and slid it through the scanner instead.</p><p>“Long night?” he asked as he followed Alex’s ID with his own. The scanner beeped happily both times, then the elevator began rumbling down toward them.</p><p>Alex looked down at her credit card for a long moment before her gaze drifted back up to Winn. It took a moment for recognition to set in. “The couple next to me just had a kid, and that thing has not yet learned that nighttime hours are for sleeping.”</p><p>“Good times.” Winn gently pushed Alex through the now open elevator doors, waiting until she had a grip on the inner rail before turning his back on her and punching the button for their floor.</p><p>“They make IVs of caffeine, right?” Alex mumbled as the elevator ground back into motion.</p><p>“Coffee is probably safer.” <em>Especially in your current state,</em> Winn thought, but didn’t dare to say that last part aloud.</p><p>Before Alex could reply, the elevator doors opened on the DEO, and Winn led Alex straight to the coffee cart. She seemed to perk up at the smell and even more so after only a few sips of her extra-strength brew.</p><p>Then, she sniffed the air suspiciously, her gaze eventually narrowing in on Winn, who was still doctoring his coffee to taste.</p><p>“You smell like smoke,” she stated.</p><p>“Aw, man.” Winn put down his coffee and pulled his sleeve away from his arm to sniff it, grimacing immediately. “I showered, like, three times this morning already. I just can’t get that smell out.”</p><p>He looked back over at Alex who was staring expectantly at him over the brim of her coffee cup.</p><p>“I stayed in the van like a good little computer nerd,” Winn said, in response to the unasked question.</p><p>Alex’s eyebrows lifted in challenge.</p><p>“Fine, I got out of the van to comfort some kids while Guardian went in again, okay? But I stayed far away from the actual fire. I’m not an idiot; I let those with actual protective gear do the heavy lifting.”</p><p>“I never said you were.”</p><p>Winn stuck his tongue out at her, then slugged down most of his coffee before turning to refill it. “How bad is it?”</p><p>“You should grab some cologne from the locker room before going in.”</p><p>Winn scowled, but nodded. “Cover for me with J’onn?”</p><p>“Yup.”</p><p>As Winn headed off for the locker room, Alex strode into the command center and stopped next to J’onn, who was standing at the center console, staring at the array of screens on the far wall.</p><p>“What happened?” she asked.</p><p>“Bank robbery downtown.” J’onn made a motion with his hand and one of the third-shift analysts slid footage from their tablet onto the center four screens.  Alex quickly scanned them, noting what looked like lobby footage from just after closing in the bottom right corner, and office footage on the other diagonal.</p><p>“Upper right,” J’onn said, pointing to corresponding screen, which was playing what looked like footage from the empty vault. In the next second, a man dressed in a black T-shirt and jeans and wearing a ski mask appeared out of thin air. He walked up to the camera, keeping his head averted, then spray painted over the lens.</p><p>“How much did he get?”</p><p>“Uncertain. The bank is trying to get a hold of the owners of the safety deposit boxes to see what exactly was missing.”</p><p>“Have we checked the footage for tampering?” Winn asked, knocking Alex’s elbow with his own as he made his way to his workstation, dropped into a chair and pulled down a copy of the feed.</p><p>“According to the timestamps on the vault’s electronic logs, it automatically locked at 6 PM and wasn’t opened until the manager was called to investigate. It took both him and a high ranking official at the security company to override the time lock and let the police in.”</p><p>“Did they check to see if the footage was disrupted remotely?”</p><p>“They’re investigating, but it’s on a closed system, so they don’t suspect so.”</p><p>“Why so long to get us involved?” Alex asked.</p><p>J’onn shrugged. “We only picked up their chatter when they mentioned teleportation.”</p><p>“Do we think it’s some sort of gadget, or an ability he has?” Winn asked. When no one responded, he waved his hands at shoulder height and said, “Okay, okay, you probably don’t know either.  That’s why we’re here, right?” He clapped his hands twice, then turned back to his workstation. “We’ll run through the footage and see what we can find.”</p><p>“Is Kara already at the scene?” Winn heard Alex ask from behind him.</p><p>“We didn’t call her,” J’onn replied and Winn turned slightly in his chair so he could watch the conversation play out in his peripheral vision.</p><p>Alex, predictably, went to protest but J’onn help up his hand. “Right now there’s no need for her skillset. As far as we know, it’s a simple B&amp;E, and we’re not certain of any alien involvement. When we have more information, and <em>if</em> we determine we need her, I will call her in. Until then, she deserves a night off.”</p><p>“She’s going to kill you,” was all Alex said. And if Winn wasn’t mistaken, she looked slightly amused at the thought.</p><p>J’onn shrugged. “It is what’s best for her.”</p><p>“Director J’onnz!” An agent whose name Winn didn’t know ran up to J’onn, slightly out of breath. “Director J'onnz, NCPD is wrapping up the scene at the bank.”</p><p>“Then we better get going. Agent Schott?”</p><p>Winn spun in his chair to fully face J’onn and Alex, who were on their way out of the command center. “A full list of alien species who have teleportation or related abilities by the time you get back. On it, boss man.”</p><p>“Or proof that this is done via technology, and aliens aren’t involved.”</p><p>“Yes, sir.”</p><p>As Winn refocused back in the command center, he found the third-shift analysts staring at him, as if waiting for orders. He wasn’t in charge—in fact, as a relatively new agent, he was the furthest thing from it—but when they didn’t show any sort of initiative to return to work on their own accord, Winn clapped his hands again and turned back to his workstation. “You heard the man. Let’s get to it.”</p>
<hr/><p>The dark-haired man rang the doorbell to a small house on the outskirts of National City in a prearranged sequence, then stepped away so he’d be visible in the peephole.</p><p>Right away, he heard approaching footsteps and not long after, the front door swung outward, revealing a middle-aged man backlit from a kitchen in the far corner of the house.</p><p>“Josh!” the man exclaimed, looking around in concern. He apparently found nothing, for he stepped back and motioned for Josh to enter. “What’s wrong? What are you doing here?”</p><p>“I saw you,” Josh said, turning to face his father in the entryway. “In my dream.”</p><p>The middle-aged man’s expression sobered. “What did you see?”</p><p>“You. Being sent to Van Krull.”</p><p>“That’s impossible.”</p><p>“You know how it works, dad. That’s what’s going to happen unless we change something.”</p><p>His dad leaned closer. “What exactly did you see?”</p><p>“You were on trial. They brought up your history, your past offenses. They brought up some witnesses from the FBI. An agent, an analyst. Their case is airtight. The judge sided with them and threw the book at you.”</p><p>“What were their names?”</p><p>Josh shook his head. “No. You can’t go near them. I’ll handle this. You just… lay low, keep your head down. Go to work, come straight home. I’ll call you when it’s safe.”</p><p>“Josh.”</p><p>“Listen to me, dad! You told me you were done, and now look what happened.” His brow furrowed as he looked over at his father. “I’ll handle this. You lay low. I’ll call you when it’s safe.”</p><p>Josh’s dad reached out and grasped his elbow.</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>“Don’t thank me yet,” Josh mumbled as he shook off his father’s grip and left the house.</p>
<hr/><p>“What do we have, agents?” J’onn asked as he and Alex walked back into the command center. The sun was beaming through the vaulted windows of the mezzanine, highlighting the ring of analysts who were hard at work.</p><p>“It’s not tech,” Winn said, pushing his hair out of his face and guzzling the rest of a can of Monster.</p><p>Alex made a face at the sight, which Winn quickly returned as he dropped the now empty can into the trash. Continuing the motion, he swept his hand across his desk, beaming the vault footage to the wall of screens, and dragged his fingers apart to zoom in. “There’s no disruption in frequency, there’s no mirages, no auras, no devices that we can see. <em>And</em> you guys said you scanned the vault and didn't find any static or electric remnants. Which means it was well and truly teleportation.”</p><p>“How many species possess that ability?” J'onn asked.</p><p>“Three. Doxans, Pieranese, and Knoxtec.”</p><p>“And how many of those are registered in National City?”</p><p>“Three within city limits, eight within a few hours’ drive.”</p><p>“Send me the na—”</p><p>“Already in your office, sir, and on your phone, Alex.”</p><p>“Grab two teams, Agent Danvers," J'onn ordered, "and start working your way through the names.”</p><p>“Yes, sir." As J’onn went to speak to another analyst, Alex leaned over Winn’s shoulder. “Eat some real food soon, okay? Something besides Red Vines and pizza bagels.”</p><p>Without mistyping a single letter, Winn reached back and brushed Alex away. “Just go find this alien. We can worry about my diet later.”</p><p>“Don’t make me sic Kara on you,” Alex threatened lightheartedly, but then her expression fell and she sucked in a quick breath. “Kara. She is going to <em>kill</em> us.”</p><p>At that, Winn stopped typing and spun around in his seat. “Well, the good news is, it’s an alien, so now you can pull her in?” he suggested, lifting one shoulder in a lopsided shrug.</p><p>“Somehow I don’t think she’ll see it that way.”</p><p>“You can always blame it on J’onn.”</p><p>“We’ll see.” Then Alex’s phone chirped and she pulled it out her pocket to check the screen. “There’s the list. Thanks,” she said to Winn, who shot her a lazy salute then spun back to face his monitor.</p><p>As Alex slid her phone back into her pocket, a thought struck her. “I don’t suppose <em>you’d</em> tell Kara?”</p><p>“Not in a million years.”</p>
<hr/><p>To say that Kara hadn’t taken it well was the understatement of the century. However, once J’onn explained that there wasn’t originally a guaranteed alien involvement, and that even his best agents sat out occasional missions, she’d grudgingly accepted her delayed involvement.</p><p>“I’m going to check out Al’s,” she said. She had come straight from CatCo and was still wearing her street clothes as she consulted with J’onn and Alex around the center console of the command center. “See if anyone heard anything.”</p><p>“Bring back some mozzarella sticks,” Winn called without looking away from his screen.</p><p><em>And ribs</em>, Alex mouthed, to which Kara rolled her eyes good-naturedly and nodded.</p><p>“You should have told me,” she said as she and Alex walked out of the command center.</p><p>“J’onn was right. You’ve had a lot of ‘on’ days of late. And we weren’t sure.”</p><p>“But you suspected.”</p><p>“I called you as soon as we knew.”</p><p>Kara exhaled slowly. “I still don’t agree, but I guess I understand the sentiment.” Then she looked over at Alex. “Speaking of food, when was the last time you ate?”</p><p>“I had lunch,” Alex was quick to protest.</p><p>“More than a roll of lunchmeat and some spready cheese?”</p><p>Alex stared at her in disbelief. “How do you do that?”</p><p>“No superpowers needed. I know you.” Kara punched the button for the elevator. “I’ll bring back a double order.”</p><p>“I’d rather have a cheeseburger.”</p><p>Kara smiled. “One cheeseburger coming right up.”</p>
<hr/><p>Later that night, Winn stood in the hallway outside his apartment, one hand scrubbing at his aching eyes while the other struggled to insert his key into the three separate deadbolts he’d had installed shortly after moving in. Finally, he unlocked the last one and swung open the door.</p><p>The very next second, he knew, inexplicably, that something wasn’t right.</p><p>He immediately grabbed the desk light sitting on his entryway table and hoisted it over his shoulder as he took another cautious step into his apartment. His alarm system blared in the background while he quickly scanned the room. Everything seemed to be in order, but he couldn’t shake the suspicion that his space had been disturbed.</p><p>“Hello?” he called out, as he stepped to his left and punched in his six-digit code without looking away from the rest of the room. Then, he stepped through his living room toward the back of his apartment. “I am armed!” he called, his voice a tad squeakier than he could have liked. There was no reply.</p><p>Still carrying the lamp, Winn carefully cleared every room of his apartment, then walked back into the living room, where he dropped it onto his couch. He spun in a circle immediately after, as if the mystery attacker would choose that moment to… well, attack.  But no one was there.</p><p>Feeling slightly foolish, Winn sat down at his desk, logged into his security system and reviewed the logs.  Since he’d armed it early this morning, at exactly 2:16 AM, there were no entries besides him just disarming it a few minutes ago.</p><p>In that brief moment, Winn wished he had security cameras, but the feeling was fleeting. Despite all the digital security measures that could be put in place these days, Winn was far too familiar with just how easily tech like that could be hacked to actually install cameras in his apartment. For that reason too, his security system could only be accessed via Ethernet or within the bounds of his Wi-Fi network, and the disarm code, which was changed monthly, had to be manually entered upon entry and exit—no alarm system apps for him.</p><p>He checked the logs again just to be sure, and when he found no additional entries or exits for the day, he breathed a little bit easier.</p><p>Then, he noticed a slightly unfamiliar smell wafting through the air. It was faint enough to hide until now, but strong enough to suddenly be noticeable. Winn was on alert in the next second, scrambling away from his desk and reaching for the lamp, which he again held high over his shoulder. He scanned the room furiously, but saw no one.</p><p>Winn took another pass through his apartment, finding nothing and no one, and by the time he reentered his living room, the smell was gone.</p><p>God, he needed sleep.</p><p>There was no way someone had been in his apartment. He had the security logs to prove it, and nothing seemed to be missing.</p><p>Just to be sure, Winn took one more lap around his apartment, this time looking for anything out of place. Finding everything where he expected it to be, he sank back into the couch, unable to fully shake the feeling that his initial instincts were right.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p></p><div class="xcontrast">
  <p></p>
  <div>
    <p></p>
    <div>
      <p>Come the next morning, the feeling that something was amiss was still itching at the back of Winn's mind; it was only exacerbated by the fact that he hadn't slept well yet again. He'd jolted awake every few hours for no apparent reason, and like clockwork, had cleared his apartment with the lamp hoisted high over his shoulder—and man, it was time to invest in a baseball bat. That thing was heavy. And single use—before checking his security footage and lying back down, in fervent hope that this time he'd drift off for the entire night.</p>
      <p>Finally, around two AM, with eyes throbbing from lack of sleep, Winn decided that if this was his time to go, it was his time to go, and popped two Benadryl. Once they'd kicked in, he'd slept five interrupted hours, but as typically happened when allergy pills were used as sleep aids, he'd woke up with dry and scratchy eyes, a similar feeling in his throat, and a face that weighed a thousand pounds.</p>
      <p>The morning only deteriorated from there. When Winn went to shower, he almost put body wash in his hair before he realized it and the shampoo bottle were swapped. He didn't remember switching them, but he <em>had</em> been half-asleep yesterday when he'd hopped into the shower after being called in at that ungodly hour, so he didn't think too much of it. But then, his hip had collided with the corner of the island as he tried to maneuver around it with a plate of eggs. After managing to save most of his breakfast in a Peter-Parker-in-the-cafeteria-esque maneuver, Winn chalked that one up to lack of sleep, and shoveled in what remained of his food before he could change his mind. On his way out, the pair of shoes he'd had set out yesterday to coordinate with his outfit, before being too sleep deprived to care about anything matching at zero-dark-whatever, were no longer in their place beside the door.</p>
      <p>Tired, and at this point in danger of being late, Winn toed on the first pair of shoes in his entry closet, armed his security system then left.</p>
      <p>On the way into the DEO, he couldn't help thinking that if all that chaos wasn't a sign he needed significantly more sleep, he wasn't sure what was. All he had to do was get through today, and then he could crash tonight for at least ten hours, Guardianing be damned.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>At the office, Winn roused slightly thanks to the massive extra-strength coffee he'd brewed, which had earned him a dark look from Vasquez after inhaling a mouthful of it herself, and managed to sludge through the morning, picking up where third-shift had left off on both the bank robbery and the various alerts that had come in overnight.</p>
      <p>Sadly, even after over a day's work by multiple teams, they hadn't made much progress on the bank robbery case. All the Doxans, Pieranese, and Knoxtecs that were registered within a few hours' drive of National City had alibis, which analysts of multiple shifts had spent a painstaking amount of time verifying. So their vault thief was either using tech—which Winn still highly doubted—or was unregistered.</p>
      <p>"Can we trace for similar cases?" Alex asked, as Winn relayed this information to her and J'onn in person, and Kara over the phone.</p>
      <p>"We're running it now, but even just looking at the unsolved cases for National City alone, it's going to take some time."</p>
      <p>"Focus on the ones within a few hours' radius of National City for now. Go back as far as you can," Alex instructed. Then, after a moment, she added, "Actually, I might be able to shorten that list some."</p>
      <p>"And by 'you', you mean Maggie?"</p>
      <p>Alex nodded.</p>
      <p>"When's she get back from her conference?"</p>
      <p>"Saturday. But I'm sure she'll be itching for a break." It was no secret Maggie hadn't been thrilled about sitting all week listening to the latest and greatest upgrades in law enforcement policy and technology. She'd tried everything to get out of it, but NCPD Captain Barlow would not be dissuaded.</p>
      <p>"Only the pertinent details, Alex," J'onn said gently.</p>
      <p>"Of course, sir. Winn, can you send me the cases since Maggie joined Science Police?"</p>
      <p>"Sure thing." As he turned back to his keyboard and began typing, Alex left the command center, presumably to phone Maggie.</p>
      <p>"What about increasing the radius of the registered Doxans, Pieranese, and Knoxtecs?" Kara asked over the speakerphone set-up next to Winn's workstation.</p>
      <p>"We can try, but then we'd have to find a way for them to get here. Planes, trains and boats are easy, but driving…" Winn shook his head. "Unless they paid with credit card slips or booked hotel reservations, it will be almost impossible to know for sure. And that's assuming none of them can fly."</p>
      <p>"Let's start running that down," J'onn said. "If our perpetrator can truly teleport in and out of places, he's of a high risk for more than just local banks."</p>
      <p>"Yes, sir."</p>
      <p>"What about the security footage? Were we able to get any identifying information?"</p>
      <p>"That's all Vasquez." Winn pointed to his right where his coworker was sitting, head bobbing while she examined some data onscreen. "Vasquez," Winn called again, and when she didn't respond, he kicked gently at her chair, sliding her over a few inches. When she spun around to glare at him, Winn pointed hurriedly at J'onn standing behind them and motioned for her to pull off her headphones.</p>
      <p>"Yes, sir?" she asked, suddenly contrite.</p>
      <p>After J'onn repeated the question, she replied, "The perp is about 5'10" based on known heights of the security deposit boxes and factoring in the angle and distance of the camera. Based on general anatomy, he appears to be male, or someone who can shapeshift into one. We weren't able to get any other information. The ski mask hid his hair and he was too far away for eye color, even on our best zoom."</p>
      <p>"Skin tone?"</p>
      <p>"Medium to light? But again, if they have shapeshifting abilities, we don't know for sure."</p>
      <p>There was a commotion on the other end of the speakerphone. "Snapper's looking for me," Kara groaned. "Keep me updated."</p>
      <p>As she ended the call, J'onn, who had been considering Vasquez's report, spoke up. "Let's assume not for now, unless you have been able to identify a species with native teleportation and shapeshifting." He looked around at the analysts who looked back at him blankly.</p>
      <p>"Only you, sir," Winn said, when no one else did. "But there's no aura in the footage that indicated a phase or a portal instead of direct teleportation."</p>
      <p>"Well then, since I clearly didn't rob the bank and M'gann is still off-world, let my conjecture stand that we are dealing with a male suspect until we have more information."</p>
      <p>"Sure thing, boss," Vasquez said, and the other analysts nodded.</p>
      <p>"I'll be back in an hour for an update," J'onn stated before leaving the command center.</p>
      <p>The moment he did, Vasquez stood, turning her back to her workstation so she could fact the rest of the analysts. "Agent Schott, rerun yesterday's search to find all Doxans, Pieranese, and Knoxtecs registered in the United States. We're going to split up the results and run down their alibis one at a time."</p>
      <p>On the other side of the command center, one analyst, Jenn Rico, raised her hand. "I'm already running down a P1 for Agent Matheson."</p>
      <p>Vasquez just nodded. "Then do that. Anyone else?" The remaining five analysts, Winn included, shook their heads.</p>
      <p>"Okay. When you have the results, Agent Schott, put them on the board and divide among the six of us. Find your target's location for the last… let's say five days, but especially with a focus on the time of the break-in. Anything suspicious gets brought to me or Agent Schott. Everything else gets removed. And despite what Director J'onzz says, no one gets eliminated based on gender. Copy?"</p>
      <p>"Yes, ma'am," the analysts said before turning back to their stations.</p>
      <p>Just then, Winn's computer chirped with the search results. "Expect assignments shortly," he said before cracking his knuckles and getting to work.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>After sending a very bored Maggie the cases, Alex changed into her street clothes and headed over to Al's. Neither Kara nor Mon-El had anything to report from their fact-finding mission yesterday, but Alex was hoping today's shift might have some answers. The bar was being worked by Stella, who had what looked like two French braids running back from her forehead, and was expertly handing an overflowing bar.</p>
      <p>"Don't these people work?" Alex asked as she pushed her way through the crowd and ordered a club soda.</p>
      <p>"It's a Valerian holiday tomorrow," Stella said, sliding Alex's drink down the counter. "Everyone in their solar system who was able to took it off to celebrate."</p>
      <p>Alex took a sip of her drink then slid a still photo of the surveillance footage from the vault across the counter. "I know it's vague but have you seen someone who fits this description? Male, about 5'10", medium to light colored skin. They have teleportation abilities from what we can tell, and could be Doxans, Pieranese, or Knoxtec."</p>
      <p>Stella pulled the photograph closer to her face, and the two rows running down her head peeled away from her skull, revealing themselves to be antennae which now floated around her head.</p>
      <p>"It could be anyone," she said after a moment, before handing the photograph back.</p>
      <p>"Even if we narrow down species?"</p>
      <p>"I don't exactly ask folks what they are when they show up here," Stella said with a unapologetic shrug.</p>
      <p>"Fair enough. But this person has the ability to teleport into our most secure facilities, which makes him extremely dangerous. We need to apprehend him as soon as possible."</p>
      <p>"I understand, Agent Danvers. If you want to leave a copy here, I'll share it with the rest of the staff and see if they recognize him."</p>
      <p>"I'd appreciate that." Then, Alex took a look around the crowded bar. "Would you mind if I show this picture around?"</p>
      <p>Stella shrugged again as she fetched two empty pint glasses and began filling them. "If you're not too disruptive. It is a holiday eve and these people have been through a lot this year."</p>
      <p>"I promise I'll be as non-evasive as possible," Alex said, before throwing back the rest of her drink, dropping a couple dollars on the bar, and beginning her canvass.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>After a long day of running down alibis and coming back with zero, zip, zilch, and nada, Winn wanted nothing more than to go back to his apartment and crash. But then James caught wind of something on the police scanner and begged—yes, actually begged; apparently Winn hadn't been the only one with a less than stellar day—Winn to come along. Winn had tried to make himself say 'no', but since he apparently had a genetic inability to refuse his friends, especially when there was a possibility to do some good, he'd ended up agreeing.</p>
      <p>The first time his eyes slipped closed while watching James stake out a target, Winn should have probably told James to cut the night short. Instead, while James was securing said target and phoning in an anonymous tip to the police, Winn slipped out to a nearby convenience store for a massive Red Bull and pack of Red Vines.</p>
      <p>Amped up on sugar and practically vibrating in his seat, Winn reported three more situations to James, who after giftwrapping them for the NCPD, returned to the van to, surprisingly, call it a night. Winn had protested the exact amount that was appropriate before pretending to give in.</p>
      <p>"Get some rest, okay?" was all James said, before sliding out of the van and closing the door.</p>
      <p>"From your lips to God's ears," Winn mumbled as he powered down his equipment then crawled into the front of the van, where he started up the engine and drove through the non-existent National City traffic to the parking lot down the street from his apartment. Back when this whole Guardian thing had started, he'd cut a deal with the lot's owner to cut the monthly rate in half as long as Winn kept the lot's security system up to date. So far, both were still happy with the agreement.</p>
      <p>After checking his gear one last time, Winn locked the van, then headed for his apartment with more bounce in his step than usual, thanks to the last dredges of sugar in his system. Given the late hour, he was joined in his trek by a bunch of drunks, who were staggering home after last call. Winn found himself caught up in a conversation between two twenty-somethings when suddenly, something wrapped around his forearm and yanked him to the right.</p>
      <p>He was so startled that he didn't have time to do anything but let out a half-hearted yelp before his right arm was wrenched behind his back and his face was shoved into a brick wall.</p>
      <p>"I don't have… any money," he gasped as he felt something warm dripping down his cheek. His arm was burning fiercely, his wrist twisted up between his shoulder blades.</p>
      <p>Then, a weight shifted behind him, pressing him further into the wall, and suddenly Winn felt hot breath on his left ear. At this range, Winn couldn't smell any alcohol on the man's breath, dashing any hope this was some sort of drunken mistake. He tried to catch a glimpse of his assailant out of the corner of his eye, but he/she/it was standing too far out of sight. "I don't want your money," a man's voice, low and deep, growled. "I want you to leave National City, Toyman Jr."</p>
      <p>Winn's brain stuttered to a stop. "Wha'?"</p>
      <p>The man responded by wrenching Winn's arm higher, forcing a groan from his lips. Winn slipped up onto his toes to try to relieve the pressure, but was helpless against the man's grip.</p>
      <p>"Leave," the man ordered. "Tonight."</p>
      <p>Then, something smashed into the back of Winn's knee a split second before his shoulder was released. No longer supported, Winn collapsed to the ground in an unceremonious heap. His vision whited out as pain soared through his knee, and now his shoulder as blood flow was restored.</p>
      <p>He heard footsteps racing away and tried to haul himself into a sitting position to catch a glimpse of his attacker, but his body refused. So he lay there until some indeterminate length of time later when, with a great heave, he finally managed to right himself. Breathing hard, he sat there for longer than was probably deemed advisable for the late hour, but the pain refused to subside. His shoulder throbbed in time with his pulse, sending a bolt of pain down his side to his knee, which was screaming in agony, despite being locked straight out in front of him.</p>
      <p>He had to get up.</p>
      <p>Leaning heavily on the wall for support, Winn tried to push through the pain and stand, but only ended up getting about halfway up before his right knee shifted rather unnaturally. He dropped back to the ground, cursing in every language he knew, and rubbed at his knee with his uninjured hand.</p>
      <p>He didn't want to bother anyone, especially after the long and fruitless day they'd all just had, but it didn't seem likely that he was getting out of this alley on his own accord. Reluctantly, he pulled out his phone and dialed Alex.</p>
      <p>"Can you come get me?" he asked with a hiss as his cheek split open again. "I got mugged. This time for real."</p>
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<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
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    <p>By the time he'd been taken to the DEO, Winn had told his story at least three times in full, and started it at least six. Kara and Mon-El had stayed in the alley, using their powers to look for any clues that the CSI team might normally miss, while Alex and J'onn had escorted Winn back to the medbay.</p><p>Now, Winn sat uncomfortably on the bed while Alex buzzed around him, her tense silence unnerving him more than any line of questioning.</p><p>She'd already scanned him with the handheld and, not surprisingly, the main areas that lit up were his right cheek, shoulder and knee. What <em>had</em> surprised him though was a smaller data point radiating from his right wrist, which up until that point Winn hadn't thought was hurt. As he really looked at it in the bright lights of the medbay, he discovered it was swelling rather magnificently.</p><p>Alex had already cleaned out his cheek, which Winn was desperately trying to avoid catching a glimpse of in the medbay's shiny surfaces, before moving on to examining his wrist and shoulder. Unfortunately, that required moving them around and making them hurt, in order for her to determine that nothing seemed torn or broken. Her diagnosis was to take it easy for the next few days, which she ensured by guiding his arm into a sling.</p><p>"Take it off and I'll add a brace for your wrist," she threatened when Winn opened his mouth to protest. She ignored his unhappy scowl and she turned her attention to his knee. "How attached are you to these pants?"</p><p>Winn was far too exhausted to care. The momentary blip of adrenaline had long since worn off and it was taking everything he had just to remain upright. "Cut 'em."</p><p>Nodding, Alex pulled out a set of trauma scissors and made a long cut up the side of his leg. As she gently pulled what remained of the khaki away, Winn was able to see his swollen knee and knew, even without the training Alex had, that that wasn't good.</p><p>"I'm going to need to move it around," she said, almost apologetically, as if that was somehow different from the way she'd handled his shoulder and wrist.</p><p>"Just get it over with," Winn replied. Then, at her request, he lay back and slung his uninjured arm over his eyes, mindful of his taped-up cheek.</p><p>Just after Alex started poking at his knee, Winn heard someone hurry into the medbay, breathing hard as if they'd run the entire way there.</p><p>"Hey," James said as he strode over to stand beside the bed. "How are you feeling?"</p><p>Winn bit back a hiss as Alex dug her fingers into the back of his knee. "Been better, honestly. But it's nothing a little R&amp;R won't fix."</p><p>"I'm so sorry I left you. I saw how exhausted you were; I should have biked back with you."</p><p>"And let everyone figure out that the van helps Guardian? I don't think so." Winn dropped his arm so he could look up at James. "It's not your fault, man. Seriously. Though, we should probably get the van repainted, just in case. I don't know if that's how they found me or—"</p><p>"Winn, the van can wait." James reached out and rested his hand on Winn's uninjured shoulder. "You're what's important right now."</p><p>"That is absolutely correct," J'onn said from the far corner of the medbay, where from the little Winn had overheard, he'd been checking in with the CSI team. "But as much as I want to leave you alone, I have to ask you some questions first."</p><p>"Fire—" The rest of Winn's response died in his mouth as Alex positioned her hands on either side of his knee and tugged. She was gentle enough, but pain raced up his leg nonetheless, and he dug his teeth into his bottom lip to keep from yelping.</p><p>"Sorry," Alex said. "Had to do it while you were distracted so you didn't tense up."</p><p>"And what did it tell you?" Winn squeaked out as his joint throbbed with a new vigor.</p><p>"All your ligaments are intact, which is really great news. You're going to need a brace for a few days, but if the pain stays manageable, you might be able to avoid crutches."</p><p>With great effort, Winn lifted his head and looked Alex directly in the eye. "I guarantee I will not need crutches."</p><p>"As long as you follow my instructions and take it easy, you can make that happen."</p><p>"Gucci." Winn then shifted his weight to his left side so he could prop himself up on his elbow and still see everyone in the room. Though he was successful and without pain, James tsked at him, and poked the controls on the bedrail to raise the head of the bed instead.</p><p>When it was at a decent height, Winn allowed himself to lie fully back. He mouthed his thanks to James before turning his attention to J'onn. "So what did you want to know?"</p><p>"You had no indication this man was following you?"</p><p>"No," Winn replied, drawing out the final vowel. "None at all… I mean, technically, he was ahead of me. That's the only way he could have pulled me into the alley at that angle."</p><p>"So he was waiting for you, which means he knew where you'd be. You don't remember seeing anyone strange any other night you returned from the parking lot?"</p><p>"No. But it's never the same time. Sometimes we're out late, other times we're one and done."</p><p>"And he didn't say anything else to you, except ordering you to leave National City tonight?"</p><p>"He called me Toyman Jr. But yeah, that was it."</p><p>J'onn nodded, then rested a hand on Winn's ankle. "If you think of anything else—"</p><p>"I'll call one of you guys, I promise. Scout's Honor."</p><p>"You were never a Scout," Alex interjected, without looking up from the ice pack she was currently wrapping around Winn's knee.</p><p>Winn made a face at Alex for calling him out then turned back to J'onn. "Now that we've established I'm going to live, did CSI find anything in the alley?"</p><p>"A few drops of blood—confirmed yours. Some fibers. We're running them through the mass spec now," J'onn replied. "But that's not for you to worry about, Agent Schott. For some reason, someone is targeting you directly. Until they are found, you will have an agent with you at all times during the day, and a car sitting outside your apartment at night."</p><p>His apartment. Ooh.</p><p>"I suppose this is a bad time to mention I think someone might have broken into my place last night." Through his preemptive wince, Winn couldn't see anyone's reactions, but he heard the slight intakes of breaths and the creaking of the bedrail as James' hand tightened around it.</p><p>"You're going to need to explain," Alex said, her concern only thinly veiled behind her otherwise level tone.</p><p>Winn took a breath and did.</p><hr/><p>"I can't believe no one saw anything," Kara grumbled as she and Mon-El, dressed in street clothes, continued to traverse the street between Winn's apartment and the parking lot. Though the DEO had cordoned off the alley and their version of CSI was currently hard at work, there were very few results so far. People were clustering around the newly erected police barricade, and Kara was scanning each of them, just in case one of them was the perpetrator returning to the scene of the crime… and, yes, that thought was a testament to how many procedural dramas she had watched during her fun-employment.</p><p>"What did you expect?" Mon-El replied as he stepped into the alley across from the one where Winn had been attacked and leaned against the wall. "Most of them were probably very drunk, and those who weren't disappeared by the time the DEO arrived."</p><p>The look Kara shot him was deadly.</p><p>"I'm just stating a fact," he said, throwing up his hands in surrender. "Don't shoot the message-bringer."</p><p>Kara sagged against the wall next to Mon-El. "There has to be <em>something</em>. This is <em>Winn</em> we're talking about."</p><p>"If we had a picture or description, we could ask the bartenders in the area. But then again, Winn said the guy wasn't drunk."</p><p>"So if he wasn't drunk, he was waiting for Winn." Kara straightened up, her eyes brightening as her brain began to work the puzzle. "Which means he knew where to find Winn."</p><p>"And we know how careful Winn is with his online presence," Mon-El continued. "So that means he was followed."</p><p>"The van?"</p><p>"Maybe. Or on foot."</p><p>Kara took another pan of the street, even though she already knew the answer to her unvoiced question. "Too bad there aren't any cameras down this strip."</p><p>"But there are at the lot, and there are outside Winn's apartment. Maybe if we go back a few days, we'll see something."</p><p>Kara smiled for the first time since they'd received the call that Winn had been mugged. Unfortunately, it dropped off her face a split second later when her phone rang and she saw the caller ID.</p><p>"It's Snapper." She checked the time, then looked back up at Mon-El and winced. "I was supposed to submit my article by ten."</p><p>"You go do that. I'll run back to the DEO and see if they're searching the cameras."</p><p>Kara leaned over and quickly kissed Mon-El. "Thanks. And check on Winn if you can. Tell him I'll be by later with the usual order if he wants."</p><p>Mon-El nodded, then gently pushed Kara away. "I will. Now, go."</p><hr/><p>By the time Winn was done laying out his suspicions, Alex had fitted him with a metal-hinged knee brace, and had joined J'onn and James in staring at him with stoic, borderline displeased, expressions.</p><p>"What about cameras?" she asked.</p><p>"I don't have cameras in my place. You all know how easy they are to hack. I have no desire to have someone watching me in the few hours of peace I do get at home."</p><p>"Motion sensors?"</p><p>"Not triggered. There are no event logs from when I got paged to when I returned."</p><p>"And you're sure you just didn't move those things around?"</p><p>"Maybe. But it's a helluva coincidence if I did."</p><p>"We'll need to look at your apartment," J'onn stated.</p><p>Winn nodded then lifted his hip slightly to dig into his pocket for his keys. "Code is 75839, which I <em>will</em> be changing after everyone leaves."</p><p>J'onn slid the key ring onto his finger then tapped for a moment on his phone. "We need to assume the two incidents are connected, and that it's not safe for you to go home tonight," he said, looking back up at Winn. "I'd like to get you to a safe house—"</p><p>"That's not necessary," Winn was quick to protest. He could wait until CSI was done going over his place and head back afterward. It wasn't like he'd be sleeping anytime soon anyway. As exhausted as his body was, his mind had found its second wind and was dancing about from idea to idea.</p><p>He needed to run down the friends and family of the people his father killed to see who was in the area. Also, anyone who had spoken out against his father, or him actually. He was vaguely aware of a faction that wanted to cleanse the National City of known criminals and their families, regardless of whether any of their families had committed crimes. Winn wasn't aware he'd made their list, but after the Toycon incident of last year, he supposed anything was possible.</p><p>"I agree. Winn can stay at my place until this is all over," Alex said.</p><p>"I have a guest bedroom," James countered almost instantly. "That way you don't have to sleep on the couch. No offense," he said to Alex, who shrugged.</p><p>"It'd actually be good for him to sleep on a bed. He's going to be sore in the morning."</p><p>Winn's gaze danced back and forth between his friends. "Hold up. <em>He </em>is right here, and he thanks both of you, but <em>he </em>will be fine at hi—"</p><p>"This is not up for discussion, Winn," J'onn interrupted, though his words were as gentle as Winn had ever heard them. "You will be staying at James' until we clear your place." Then, he turned to look at James. "Now, did you ride your bike here, or do we need to have someone drive you?"</p><p>"Biked," James said. "So a lift would be great."</p><hr/><p>"Thanks for doing this," Winn said as he limped into James' place and tried to collapse on the couch. James, unfortunately, had other ideas and slid himself under Winn's shoulder to bolster him back to upright.</p><p>"To the guest bedroom," he said, steering Winn off to the left.</p><p>"Your place is nice," Winn commented as he was led past an incredibly luxurious-looking leather sectional and a decently expensive piece of art on the wall.</p><p>"Why do you say it like that? You've been here before."</p><p>"Nope." Winn tried to shake his head, but that only made the rest of his body hurt. "This is my first time."</p><p>James slowed slightly. "That can't be right."</p><p>"It is. Every time I was supposed to come over, one of us kept getting called away."</p><p>By this time, they'd reached the end of a short hallway that led to a guest room and second bath.</p><p>"Swanky," Winn commented as they entered the guest room and he saw the queen-sized bed, grey sheets, and three pillows lined up against the simple headboard.</p><p>He again tried to drop onto the closest flat surface, but James shuffled him up closer to the pillows.</p><p>"Now you can sit."</p><p>"Thanks," Winn deadpanned as he did just that. Then he fell back and closed his eyes, letting the ambient noises of the unfamiliar room wash over him.</p><p>"Hey." James was very gently tapping his shin. "You have to take your meds before you can sleep. Alex's orders."</p><p>Without opening his eyes, Winn held out his hand and felt two pills land on it. He opened his mouth and dropped them in, swallowing hard. "Can I sleep now?" he mumbled as he turned slightly onto his side.</p><p>"Once you get your legs on the bed."</p><p>Winn tried to help, he really did, but somehow his brain and body were on two different frequencies. He only managed to lift his legs a scant few inches.</p><p>James grumbled something under his breath before Winn felt his legs being dragged to the left, onto the bed, and his shoes untied. Then his right knee was being lifted, a pillow slid gently under it, and the sling slipped out from beneath him.</p><p>"Thanks," he managed to mumble, as a light sheet was pulled over him.</p><p>"You're welcome." With that, the overhead light flipped off. "Get some rest, Winn," James said, echoing his request from earlier.</p><p>Or at least that's what Winn would have heard, had he already not been fast asleep.</p><hr/><p>Alex walked down the hallway that led from the elevator to Winn's apartment, perfectly centered between the elevators and the stairwell. His door was cordoned off with caution tape and guarded by a DEO probie, who kept shooting looks at a group of (presumably) neighbors who had congregated a few doors down and were whispering furiously among themselves.</p><p>Upon seeing that Alex was heading toward them, the group attempted to scatter, until she held up her FBI badge.</p><p>"I'll be quick," she promised.</p><p>The group reluctantly stopped and turned to face her.</p><p>"Is Winn alright?" one of the women then asked.</p><p>"Yes. But someone broke into his place last night. I don't suppose any of you saw anything?"</p><p>They all shook their heads and provided various alibis.</p><p>"Have you seen anyone strange walking around here? On this floor or down in the lobby?"</p><p>They shook their heads again.</p><p>Alex groaned internally, but pulled out six of her FBI business cards and handed them out. "If you think of anything, please give me a call."</p><p>The group nodded, then disappeared into various apartments. Once they were all gone, Alex walked back to Winn's apartment and pulled a pair of crime scene booties from the box plunked outside his door. As she slipped them on, she couldn't help but overhear the fragments of a conversation from inside.</p><p>"—sure he just didn't forget where he left some stuff?" one agent was grumbling. "I had tickets to the Nats tonight."</p><p>"Or he's finally going the way of his dad."</p><p>Seeing red, Alex slipped under the crime scene tape and stormed into the room. Agents Stoller, the first speaker, and Pace, the second, were scanning the room with two handheld devices. They stopped speaking as soon as Alex entered and focused intently on their devices.</p><p>"Winn Schott is one of the finest agents I've ever worked with," Alex announced, staring icily at the two of them. "If he says someone was in here, then someone was." She then turned to Stoller, who was staring unflinchingly back at her. "And if you ever repeat what I just overheard, especially to Agent Schott, I will make sure you never work law enforcement in National City again."</p><p>Agent Pace had the decency to look ashamed, but Stoller just shrugged. "Like I said in my report, no one has been here recently but Agent Schott. There's no sign of forced entry on any doors or windows, the alarm system hasn't been tampered with, and there are no residual traces of any other life forms anywhere in this apartment."</p><p>That was impossible. Winn was so sure.</p><p>"What about the items he thought had been moved?" Alex asked.</p><p>"We printed the shampoo and body wash bottles. The only prints on them are his. The shoes he couldn't find are under his couch, and the island being moved," Stoller shrugged again. "No weird traces on any of its surfaces."</p><p>"And the smell?"</p><p>"Anything Agent Schott reported is long gone. Especially with the swamp cooler." She motioned to the window, where it was wedged in a bottom corner.</p><p>"Agent Schott was attacked tonight," Alex informed the two agents, but her attempt to shock them with this information fell on expressionless faces. "Are you sure we aren't missing anything here that might lead us to who did it?"</p><p>"With all due respect, Agent Danvers, I have to agree that there's nothing here," Agent Pace finally piped up.</p><p>"I'd like a third opinion, from someone who doesn't share your view of Agent Schott. Please call in your manager." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the wall. "I'll wait."</p><hr/><p>James woke in the middle of the night, immediately reaching for his nightstand where his shield wristband was housed. He was on edge, muscles tensed, heart pounding, but didn't see anything that would have caused him to feel that way. His alarm system wasn't going off, nor was someone in his room.</p><p>James had just slid the wristband on when he heard a soft, "No… No! Please! Don't!"</p><p>Winn.</p><p>James was on his feet in an instant, sprinting into the guest room to find Winn locked in the throes of a nightmare. He was thrashing about, the pillow that was supposed to be under his knee halfway across the room and the sheet tightly tangled around his legs. His eyes were screwed closed, while his left arm was locked out, to keep some distance between him and his imaginary assailant.</p><p>"Winn," James said gently as he stepped closer. "Winn, hey, buddy," he continued, this time slightly louder. "It's James. You're in my apartment. You're safe."</p><p>But Winn didn't acknowledge him at all, still struggling with his invisible opponent.</p><p>Without another option, James reached out and gently grabbed Winn's shoulder. The DEO agent responded instantly, shooting upright and scooting away from James until his back collided with the headboard. "St'y 'way from me," he slurred, his eyes wide in panic. His hair was sticking up every which way and his left arm was still raised defensively. His right was curled against his chest, injured shoulder sandwiched between Winn and the headboard.</p><p>James took a step back and held up his hands. "It's just me, Winn. You're at my place. You're safe. I promise."</p><p>It took a long moment for recognition to set into Winn's expression. When it did, the heartbreaking expression that followed as he lowered his arm to the bed was almost worse.</p><p>"Hey, you're okay, man," James said, stepping forward and sitting on the edge of the bed. "Everyone has them."</p><p>Winn swallowed hard and slowly dragged his head from side to side. "I haven't had one that bad in years," he said, his voice harsh and grating.</p><p>Upon hearing that, James stood, filled a glass of water from the guest bathroom, and handed it to Winn, who sipped at it slowly.</p><p>"Do you want to talk about it?" James asked once some of the color had returned to Winn's cheeks.</p><p>Winn shrugged while his left hand rose to scrub at his face. "It's nothing new. Staring down the barrel of a gun, begging for my life. Sometimes he fires, sometimes he doesn't. It's never the same twice."</p><p>Instead of offering useless platitudes, which he knew Winn hated, James reached out and rested his hand on Winn's uninjured one. He'd sit there for as long as it took for Winn to dictate what happened next: whether he wanted to talk about it, or be distracted from it, or just go to sleep and try to forget about it. Until then, James hoped the physical contact, and his presence, would say everything that words couldn't.</p><p>They sat there in silence until Winn started drooping against the headboard.</p><p>"You wanna go back to sleep?" James asked.</p><p>Immediately, Winn pulled himself upright, all the while shaking his head with an almost desperation.</p><p>Apparently distraction it was, then.</p><p>"There's this new Netfilms movie I've been waiting to watch. If you're game, I'll get it queued up." When Winn didn't object, James stood and began walking toward the door. "And if you're hungry, Kara stopped by with potstickers we can reheat."</p><p>"Wait."</p><p>James turned back to Winn who was slowly dragging his legs over the side of the bed. Thinking he wanted help standing and knowing how stiff injured joints could be first thing after waking, James stepped back toward Winn, and held out his hand.</p><p>Winn shook his head again. "Not that. You. You should go to bed. At least one of us should get some more sleep before work tomorrow."</p><p>Now it was James turn to shake his head. "I'm not leaving you like this."</p><p>"You're not leaving me like anything."</p><p>"If our situations were reversed, would you walk out of the door and leave me in your state?"</p><p>The scowl residing on Winn's face deepened. "That's a low blow, Olsen. Even for you."</p><p>"I'm doing what it takes to make sure you have what you need for the night." James held out his hand again. "C'mon, Winn, let's go watch a movie."</p><p>It took a moment, but eventually Winn nodded, took James' hand, and used it to leverage himself upright. Then, together, they hobbled out of the room.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks for reading! I'd love to know what you thought!</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
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      <p>The next morning, Alex leaned against the elevator bank while waiting for Winn and Johnson, the agent who was tasked with keeping Winn safe between his living quarters and the DEO. As the elevator dinged for the umpteenth time, she looked over her shoulder to check who was exiting, and upon seeing her friend, she straightened up and called his name.</p>
      <p>Winn looked around, spotted her, and limped over, Johnson not far behind him. Thankfully, Winn was still wearing his knee brace and sling. He hadn't chosen to reattach the gauze on his cheek, but the cuts seemed small and closed enough that that wasn't necessary. Other than that, he seemed in relatively good spirits considering what had happened to him last night.</p>
      <p>"How are you doing this morning?" she asked, as she pulled him into a gentle hug.</p>
      <p>"I feel old," he mumbled into her shoulder.</p>
      <p>"Did you take your meds?"</p>
      <p>"Yes, mom. All four sets of 'em." With a sigh, he pulled away. "You can call James if you don't believe me."</p>
      <p>"No need," she said. "I trust you."</p>
      <p>Winn smiled lopsidedly at her, then asked, "Did you find anything at my place?"</p>
      <p>Alex shook her head, which caused Winn's eyebrows to rise in shock.</p>
      <p>"Nothing at <em>all</em>?"</p>
      <p>"No." She went on to reiterate what Stoller, Pace and Barnes, their superior, had discovered at Winn's apartment. Or, more accurately, what they hadn't.</p>
      <p>"Well I might be imagining my stuff being out of place, but there's no way I imagined getting beat-up in a dark alley. That's too Steve Rogers-y for me."</p>
      <p>"We'll keep at it, okay?" Alex said, rubbing her hand up and down his sling-less arm. "If you say there was someone there, there was. It's just a matter of finding out how they got in."</p>
      <p>"Okay," Winn responded, but his mood seemed rather dampened by her news.</p>
      <p>"Did you eat this morning?" she asked, partially because she knew he had a habit of skipping meals when he was stressed, but also for a long overdue change of topic.</p>
      <p>"Yeah. We stopped for breakfast burritos outside of James' place. Speaking of," he looked over his shoulder to where Agent Johnson was standing and held out his hand. Johnson pursed his lips unhappily but handed over the paper bag he was carrying. "We got one for you and Papa Bear." Winn then looked over Alex's shoulder and scanned the floor. "Where is the boss man anyway?"</p>
      <p>"I got it from here, Johnson." Alex rested her hand on Winn's shoulder and the two started walking down the mezzanine toward the offices and labs. "J'onn is in his office. And based on the morning so far, he could probably really use that."</p>
      <p>"That bad, huh?"</p>
      <p>"You know he doesn't do well when members of his team are hurt." That was perhaps the understatement of the day. Alex had only been at work for an hour, but in that time, J'onn's responses had been shorter and curter than she had ever heard them.</p>
      <p>Winn winced, which caused Alex to gently swat his uninjured shoulder.</p>
      <p>"Don't make that face. It wasn't your fault."</p>
      <p>"You could have said that without the slapping," Winn grumbled as he rubbed at the part of his shoulder his slinged arm could reach. "That was the only part of me that didn't hurt."</p>
      <p>Before Alex could determine if he was serious, Winn spoke up again. "I assume you guys started running down connections to my dad?"</p>
      <p>"Yup. His old friends and associates, Chester Dunholtz, everyone who was at Toycon. We're also looking at cases you've worked since starting at the DEO. It's possible someone is out for revenge and is using the Toyman bit to throw us off the case."</p>
      <p>"That's quite the list. I can—"</p>
      <p>This was the part Alex had been dreading all morning, ever since J'onn had put out the mandate during the morning sync. "You'll do nothing, unfortunately."</p>
      <p>Winn stopped in his tracks, causing Alex, who was still holding onto his shoulder, to do the same. "You're kidding me, right?"</p>
      <p>Alex shook her head. "If it turns out this case is purely personal, we can't have you in the chain of evidence."</p>
      <p>"That's…" he struggled to find the right word.</p>
      <p>"Wrong, I know. But it's SOP when—"</p>
      <p>"I was going to say bullshit," Winn interjected, "but 'wrong' works too." He shifted so he was facing her fully. "So what am I supposed to do? Stay with James and twiddle my thumbs while you guys find the guy who's after me?"</p>
      <p>"No. You can continue to work our current cases, which will free up resources to investigate yours."</p>
      <p>The vein in Winn's jaw throbbed visibly and Alex began bracing herself for a more serious confrontation. But then, Winn's shoulders slumped and he shook his head while cursing under his breath. "Fine," he said softly. "If that's what I need to do."</p>
      <p>"I'm as unhappy about it as you—" Alex tried, but Winn shook his head.</p>
      <p>"I know. It's protocol. You don't need to explain." He shoved the bag of burritos at her. "Look, I got a lot of work to do. Would you mind giving that to J'onn?"</p>
      <p>Without waiting for a reply, he turned on his heel and began walking back toward the elevator.</p>
      <p>"Winn, wait."</p>
      <p>Her friend turned around and smiled sadly. "I get it, Alex, don't worry. Doesn't mean I have to like it." Then, he shrugged his uninjured shoulder. "Let me know what you come up with?"</p>
      <p>"You know that I will."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>"How did he take it?" J'onn asked as Alex entered his office. He seemed to be in a marginally better mood than he had been this morning, but Alex knew it was temporary at best, until they had some real answers about Winn's case.</p>
      <p>"Not well. But I don't think you expected it to." Without being invited, she sat down across from him and opened the brown paper bag. Two burritos and matching sides of salsa sat there, each labelled with their filling's ingredients. Of course, Winn had gotten her favorite, which made the news she'd just dropped even worse.</p>
      <p>She handed over J'onn's food and rolled the top of the bag closed. Despite having not eaten this morning, she wasn't very hungry.</p>
      <p>"It's protocol, Alex."</p>
      <p>She stared at him, watching as he unwrapped his burrito—rather nonchalantly, all things considered. "And yet I get the sense you don't really expect him to stay out of it."</p>
      <p>"I'd give it an hour, max," J'onn replied, before digging into his food. "But if he can hide his trail and attribute any work to someone else, we have the chain of evidence we'd need to take whoever did this to a fair trial."</p>
      <p>Alex wanted to reply that J'onn should have just told Winn that, but she knew that then the situation wouldn't be totally above-board for a potential trial. It had had to play out just as it had with Winn not being the wiser. Though, he was a genius; she was sure he suspected. Or if he didn't now, he would soon. It wasn't like they'd gone out of their way to remove his access to any of the files...</p>
      <p>"Have there been any updates since the sync-up?" she then asked.</p>
      <p>"Not yet. While there are many people who have spoken out against Toyman, very few have expressed intent to hurt his family as well. We're sorting through Senior's prison correspondences, as well as any available data with a Toyman reference. But it's slow going."</p>
      <p>"Anything on the cases Winn has worked since becoming an agent?"</p>
      <p>"I was hoping you could take point on that," J'onn replied. "I have a call with the President in a few minutes."</p>
      <p>"Absolutely."</p>
      <p>When J'onn didn't offer anything else, Alex took that as her cue to leave. On her way out of his office, she pulled out her phone and began assembling a team to run down anyone who had a grudge against Winn.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Around eleven, Alex texted Winn to ask him to stop by the medbay over lunch. There was a treatment she wanted to try, which done daily, should reduce the swelling in his knee and hopefully accelerate his recovery.</p>
      <p>Given the way they'd left things this morning, she wouldn't have been surprised if he'd ignored her, but not long after she'd send the message, she received a single letter reply: <em>k</em> .</p>
      <p>Better than nothing.</p>
      <p>Around noon, she was eating a slightly soggy cafeteria sandwich when Winn limped in, sans sling.</p>
      <p>She knew she shouldn't say anything, since, really, she expected him to shed it at some point, but her morning spent tracking down anyone who would want to hurt Winn had been less than fruitful, and the frustration at that situation caused the following words to slip out before she could stop them: "You couldn't have left the sling on a little bit longer?"</p>
      <p>Winn frowned and his eyes flitted back toward the door, as if reconsidering his plan to show up. But then he took a measured breath and asked, thinly, "Is that why you wanted to see me?"</p>
      <p>"No. Sorry." Alex wiped her hands on a napkin then stood up. "I want you to try The Tube," a device he had helped her calibrate last winter that, when used daily, had great results accelerating healing of injured bones and joints, "on your knee. And now I guess your shoulder too."</p>
      <p>Winn's posture relaxed. Slightly.</p>
      <p>"Okay," he said. His tone was still a little tense, but it was drastically different than before.</p>
      <p>Progress.</p>
      <p>"Change into these," she said, holding out a pair of loose-legged scrubs, "so I can take another look at your knee."</p>
      <p>After Winn had shuffled to the adjacent bathroom, changed, and hopped onto the exam table with only minor difficulty, Alex unstrapped the knee brace and slid it off his leg.</p>
      <p>"How is it feeling?"</p>
      <p>"Stiff, sore, a little unsteady."</p>
      <p>"Pain?"</p>
      <p>"A little."</p>
      <p>She then rested her hands on the side of his knee and moved it around as gently as she could before she lowered his foot to the exam table. "Doesn't seem any worse than yesterday."</p>
      <p>"Told you," Winn retorted, which lifted Alex's spirit ever so slightly.</p>
      <p>She pushed up the leg of the scrubs to get a better look. "You got some nice swelling going on there," she commented as she palpated it a bit more.</p>
      <p>Winn shrugged, then slipped his phone out of his pocket and began typing away while she worked.</p>
      <p>When she was finished with her exam, she slid his leg into The Tube and closed the top half over it. "We'll start with fifteen minutes today, then hit your shoulder for about five after."</p>
      <p>"Okay," Winn said before laying his head back against the pillow, dropping his phone against his chest, crossing his arms with a slight wince, and closing his eyes.</p>
      <p>Now that he was situated, Alex allowed her gaze to travel over her friend. His cheek was looking better, but the bags around his eyes had deepened since this morning at the elevator bank, and his complexion was trending toward peaky.</p>
      <p>"Did you get <em>any</em> sleep last night?"</p>
      <p>"A little," Winn said with a half-hearted shrug, eyes still closed. "James was up too, so we ended up watching this new Christmas movie—"</p>
      <p>"Don't tell me it was <em>Holly and Ivy</em>. I've been wanting to see that one."</p>
      <p>Winn's eyes flew open and he propped himself up on his uninjured side, levelling Alex with an overacted look of betrayal. "Not you too."</p>
      <p>"What, you don't like Christmas either?"</p>
      <p>"Christmas is fine. In December. In July, when it's eleventy billion degrees out, not so much."</p>
      <p>"Oh come on. That's what makes it so fun."</p>
      <p>Winn shook his head, his expression deadly serious. "If you celebrate for six months, when the day comes around, it's not special. It need to be contained." He gestured by pulling the tips of his fingers together.</p>
      <p>"That is not a thing in the Danvers household. Kara listens to Christmas music year round. She probably has a fake tree up already."</p>
      <p>"Color me surprised," Winn deadpanned.</p>
      <p>Alex snorted then said, "If you can't sleep again tonight, they're airing another one with Broadway star Taron Aveit, who, objectively, is fine."</p>
      <p>"No!" Winn wiped his flat hand horizontally to emphasize his point. "No more Christmas until December. Sci-fi and drama only until the big day."</p>
      <p>"Whatever you say, Winn." Still grinning, Alex turned her attention back to the displays on top of The Tube. "Readouts are looking good. How's it feel?"</p>
      <p>"Warm. Tingly. But it doesn't hurt if that's what you're after."</p>
      <p>"Good. I'll set a timer for another ten minutes, then we'll move it to your shoulder."</p>
      <p>Seeing Winn nod, Alex stood to give him this time alone, but to her surprise, he caught her arm. "Thanks for believing me," he said softly. "About my apartment."</p>
      <p>"Always." She rested her free hand on Winn's and squeezed gently. "We'll find whoever did this. I promise."</p>
      <p>Winn nodded again, though his expression told a different story. Regardless, he released his grip on Alex's arm and closed his eyes again.</p>
      <p>Alex stared at him for another moment, her brain rattling with things unsaid, before she headed off to the other side of the lab to give him some space.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Winn wasn't very hungry but Alex had freed him from The Tube early enough that he had time to grab a sandwich from the cafeteria on his way back to his desk. He wasn't an idiot; he knew his body needed calories to heal. Mostly though, he didn't feel like incurring Kara's wrath, which would inevitably happen if she found out he'd skipped lunch. He'd already recovered from being on shaky ground with one Danvers' sister today, and he hadn't enjoyed a single second of it. There was no need for a repeat performance.</p>
      <p>As he limped back to his desk, sandwich in hand, he had to admit that either The Tube was one helluva placebo or his shoulder and knee were actually feeling a bit better. It hadn't hurt quite so much to put weight on his knee, and as he got back to work, he discovered typing hurt slightly less, especially reaching out to tap the escape key to switch out of vi's insert mode.</p>
      <p>As the afternoon wore on, he easily lost himself in running down his share of the bank robbery suspects, as well as triaging other possible issues that arose over the course of his workday. And if he occasionally checked on the progress on his own case by pinging his request of Vasquez' computer, no one was the wiser.</p>
      <p>Unfortunately, they were making about as much progress as he was. No relations to the people his father had killed had moved anywhere close to National City, or travelled here in the last few days. Winn had wanted more information, but had backed out on the files when he thought his activity was drawing attention.</p>
      <p>By the end of the shift, he and the rest of the analysts had eliminated almost all of the Doxans, Pieranese, and Knoxtecs across the United States as suspects for the bank robbery, and had moved on to tracing the list of items reported missing, now that NCPD had interviewed the owners of the boxes that had been opened. In addition to cash, there were missing bonds, stock certificates, jewelry, and a lot of sentimental objects, none of which had turned up in any search so far.</p>
      <p>Just as Winn had logged out and was preparing to leave for the day, J'onn walked into the command center and stood next to his workstation.</p>
      <p>"Hey, boss man," Winn said, with the feeling that whatever came next was not going to be good.</p>
      <p>J'onn however smiled warmly. "How are you feeling today?"</p>
      <p>"Good as can be expected," Winn replied, still waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop. "Alex did some mojo on me over lunch and I'm on my way back to normal."</p>
      <p>J'onn didn't look convinced but he nodded anyway. "I assume you'll be staying by James again tonight?"</p>
      <p>"Well, actually, since they didn't find anything at my place and you're going to have Johnson stay with me anyway, I was hoping I could stay at my place." When J'onn's expression drifted toward a frown, Winn was quick to add, "My security system is better, and I was going to pick up some cameras on the way home. Plus, it's more familiar to me, in case something does happen." Not that he wasn't grateful to James for putting him up, but the unfamiliarity of the guest bedroom had stressed him out more than he'd cared to admit. When he inevitably woke up in a panic, he wanted to be at his own place, in his own room, with his own security system he'd poured a lot of time and effort into perfecting.</p>
      <p>J'onn was quiet for a long moment. "I strongly advise against it, but I suspect we're never going to agree. So we will compromise. There will be a car outside your building, and Johnson will set-up outside your door, in addition to those cameras you're purchasing."</p>
      <p>That was as good as Winn could have hoped. "Yes, sir."</p>
      <p>J'onn nodded. "Good. Now, try to get some sleep tonight," he said as he gently rested a hand on Winn's injured shoulder. "We need you at your best tomorrow."</p>
      <p>Winn nodded quickly, then hurried from the command center before J'onn could change his mind.</p>
      <p>He was met at the elevator bank by Agent Johnson.</p>
      <p>"I heard we're stopping at an electronics store," was all the agent said, before calling the elevator.</p>
      <p>"It'll be quick," Winn promised. "Just need to get some security cameras for my apartment."</p>
      <p>Johnson nodded, and they rode the elevator silently down to the garage, where they were met by another agent, who was leaning against a black SUV.</p>
      <p>"Smith," Johnson had said, by way of introduction, before motioning for Winn to get in the backseat of the SUV.</p>
      <p>A <em>Matrix</em> reference immediately popped into Winn's brain, but he bit it back as it seemed in poor taste to insult the man who was responsible for keeping him safe that night. Instead, he gave the address of the electronics shop, then sat back and watched National City go back from the safety of tinted, bullet-resistant windows.</p>
      <p>True to his word, once they entered the store, Winn had made his way to the exact aisle and picked his choice of cameras in under a minute. At checkout, Barry, the cashier, tried to strike up their usual conversation, but his enthusiasm waned when Winn didn't respond in kind.</p>
      <p>"You okay?" he asked, shooting Johnson a pointed look.</p>
      <p>"Yeah. Just work stuff." Winn gave Barry the most winning smile he could muster. "I'll stop by next week and tell ya all about it."</p>
      <p>Barry nodded as he handed Winn the receipt. "I'll hold you to that."</p>
      <p>They stopped for take-out on the way home, with Johnson going in to pick it up and Winn staying in the car with Smith, who after being asked, revealed he'd been at the DEO for almost ten years.</p>
      <p>"Why haven't I ever seen you around before?" Sure Winn had been there only a year, but he'd run into most agents, even off-duty ones, at some point or another.</p>
      <p>Smith just continued looking out the windshield. "I am very good at what I do," he said, with a pointed glance back at Winn.</p>
      <p>"So no sneaking out my window tonight," he muttered to himself in jest. "Got it."</p>
      <p>The look Smith fixed him with was almost enough for Winn to consider deploying his <em>Matrix </em>reference.</p>
      <p>Back at Winn's apartment complex, they divvied up the food, then Johnson escorted Winn up to his apartment. After clearing the hallway, he made Winn wait there while he entered the apartment, disarmed the alarm (and ugh, Winn was going to have to change the code, <em>again</em>) and cleared it.</p>
      <p>Once Winn was allowed in, Johnson excused himself to the hallway, where he'd placed a folding chair he'd brought up from the car.</p>
      <p>"Are you sure you don't want something else to sit on?" Winn asked, feeling uneasy that the man was going to be so uncomfortable all night, or at least until his shift was over. "You can have one of my armchairs."</p>
      <p>"I will be just fine, Agent Schott. Now, go inside, set up your cameras, and lock your door."</p>
      <p>Realizing he wasn't going to win, Winn thanked Johnson, then closed and locked his door.</p>
      <p>He had intended on setting up the cameras first, but his stomach chose that moment to growl noisily. Instead, he sat down at his small breakfast table and unpacked his containers of Thai food. Though his right shoulder was feeling better much better than it had been this morning, it still twinged unhappily when Winn tried to bring food from the container to his mouth. With Alex's voice running through his head and warning him not to aggravate his shoulder, he then attempted to eat with his left hand. That lasted about a minute before he brought the container up to his mouth, moved the fork to his right hand and just shoveled it in with as small motions as possible.</p>
      <p>When he was done, he began unboxing the security cameras and, with some difficulty, placing them around his apartment. He almost called in Agent Johnson when his shoulder refused to reach all the way up to the ceiling to place the final one in the main room, but in the end, he decided against it and placed it as high as he could reach. If someone could get in undetected through that last foot, they had bigger problems.</p>
      <p>After checking the system thoroughly, Winn looked out the window and spotted the SUV parked right outside the entrance to the apartment complex. As if sensing he was being watched, Agent Smith looked up from the driver's seat and made eye contact with Winn, who waved before pulling his curtains closed and headed to his bedroom to start his nighttime routine.</p>
      <p>With all the stress of the day, and how poorly he'd slept last night, he crashed not long after.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>
        <em>Beep.</em>
      </p>
      <p>"Noooo," Winn groaned as he was cruelly thrust back into consciousness. He fumbled with his nightstand, searching for his phone to snooze his alarm, when he heard the sound again. He was awake enough this time to realize it hadn't come from his room.</p>
      <p>It sounded like… his microwave?</p>
      <p>But he was the only person in his apartment.</p>
      <p>Which meant only one thing: a bomb!</p>
      <p>Winn tumbled out of bed, not crashing to the floor in a tangle of limbs but it was a close thing. His knee was stubbornly stiff after not being moved all night, but Winn didn't have time to search for the brace. In fact, in the space of a second, he considered trying to find the bomb, but decided he didn't have time for that either. He had no idea how long it had been beeping before he woke up. His only priority was getting out of the apartment ASAP.</p>
      <p>On his way out of the room, he grabbed his watch then popped open the face and punched the button to alert Kara while he hobble-sprinted his way across his apartment.</p>
      <p>As he passed his desk, he swept up two of his laptops without stopping, and cursed the fact that was he was leaving his fully-customized, self-built desktops.</p>
      <p>That was when he saw his microwave lit up and heating something on the turntable—something Winn hadn't put there—and picked up his pace.</p>
      <p>Someone had been in his apartment. Had put a bomb in his microwave. And his security system hadn't gone off.</p>
      <p>Winn made it to the door where he yanked at the various locks and threw himself into the hallway. Since he hadn't disarmed his security system first, it began blaring loudly.</p>
      <p>Johnson was on his feet in an instant, gun out and ready. Winn barely found the breath to tell him, "Bomb," before Johnson had thrown himself over Winn, somehow yanking the fire alarm in the process, and the two braced themselves for the explosion.</p>
    </div>
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<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Chapter 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Time slowed to a crawl. The fire alarm screeched. Winn's security system blared. People surged into the hallway.</p><p>Yet, nothing exploded.</p><p>Winn began to wonder if he'd made a mistake. If he'd sleepwalked out to the living area and nuked something himself.</p><p>A hand wrapped around his shoulder, pulling him upright. Winn barely managed to keep his grip on his laptops as Johnson dragged him down the hallway.</p><p>Then, he was on the ground again, air knocked out of his lungs. Johnson was splayed over him and yelling for everyone to get down.</p><p>There was a loud rumbling from his apartment, then a crash of glass and the very distinctive sound of Kara's freeze breath.</p><p>They were safe. He could relax. At least, in theory.</p><p>Someone trod on Winn's hand and he shifted to pull it under his chest. Johnson pushed himself off Winn and planted himself between his charge and rest of the hallway, as his neighbors got to their feet and sprinted for the stairs. Heart pounding, chest heaving, muscles locked, Winn could do nothing but press himself against the wall and clutch at his laptops.</p><p>"Winn!" he heard Kara shout.</p><p>"Over here." It was little more than a whisper, but a moment later, Kara, dressed in her pajamas, pushed her way through the crowd and past Johnson. Her face broke in relief as she crouched down next to Winn.</p><p>"Are you okay?" she demanded, looking him up and down with what Winn could only assume was her x-ray vision.</p><p>He nodded shakily. "Thanks," he sputtered out, only then realizing his teeth were clattering together… and that he was trembling so hard that his laptops were banging into his chest with each breath.</p><p>Kara dropped to the ground beside Winn and pulled him into her side. "You are definitely not spending the night alone again," she said, rubbing her hand gently up and down his right arm.</p><p>"Don't say that too loud," Winn mumbled into her shoulder, "someone might get… the wrong idea."</p><p>"Let 'em."</p><p>They stayed like that until a group of firefighters stormed up the stairs. "I'll be right back," Kara promised, making sure Winn was propped up against the wall before she flew off. She returned almost instantly in her full Supergirl attire and met the firemen at the stairwell.</p><p>"Gentlemen," one said to Winn and Agent Johnson, while the others headed into Winn's apartment, "you need to get out of here."</p><p>"With all due respect, the bomb was in W—this man's apartment." Kara tipped her head at Winn, who was still sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest. He should have stood, but his body had other ideas. Like staying right where he was.</p><p>"I'd like to keep him in my line of sight," she continued, "in case whoever planted it is still here."</p><p>It took a moment, but the firefighter nodded unhappily. "Keep him on the far side of the floor until we've cleared it."</p><p>"No problem, sir."</p><p>The firefighter then followed his team into the apartment but returned a second later. "And if you wouldn't mind…"</p><p>"Scanning the rest of the building for devices like this one? Not at all." Kara squinted then looked slowly up and down, eventually turning in a circle while she did so. "None that I can see."</p><p>The firefighter nodded. "Thank you, Supergirl." He looked back in the apartment, then again at Kara. "Can you tell us what you saw?" he asked.</p><p>"I was flying by, on one of my sweeps. Heard the start of an explosion and changed course. Broke the window and extinguished it. Thankfully, Agent Johnson here," she gestured at the man in question, "had already pulled the fire alarm and started evacuating the floor."</p><p>Another day, Winn would have been impressed by how easily Kara, who turned red at the slightest embarrassment, was lying. Today though, it was taking all he had to continue following the conversation.</p><p>"It's a good thing you did," someone said from inside the room. "A bomb of this size could have easily taken out the entire complex."</p><p>The world got a little bit fuzzy then, and when Winn's eyes focused again, Alex was kneeling in front of him, taking his pulse.</p><p>"You back with us?" she asked, with thinly veiled concern.</p><p>"Yeah." That was when Winn realized a shock blanket was draped over his shoulders and that he was clutching it closed with the arm that was still pinning his laptops to his chest. His other hand held a piping hot to-go cup of tea. And it was quiet. He could hear Alex without her needing to shout.</p><p>"I don't… How did I…"</p><p>"You zoned out," Alex said, pointing a penlight at Winn's eyes and making him wince. After making him follow it without moving his head, her expression softened. "And you were mumbling to yourself."</p><p>
  <em>Oh no.</em>
</p><p>He must have looked panicked for Alex quickly added, "Don't worry, you were barely audible." She then gestured to his leg. "Did you hurt your knee again?"</p><p>Winn was still so numb he had no idea. "Maybe?"</p><p>Alex gently manipulated it, but the pain, if any, was floaty and hard for Winn to quantify. It wasn't long before Alex decided she'd need to scan it when they got back to the DEO.</p><p>Winn blinked. "The DEO?"</p><p>"The DEO," Alex repeated, somewhat apologetically. "You'll be staying there until we catch this guy."</p><p>He didn't love the idea, but he didn't have the energy to argue the point at the moment. He let himself drift slightly, while Alex checked the rest of him, only jolting back into full awareness when a thought struck him: "The cameras!"</p><p>He practically threw down his tea as he slid his laptops onto his lap, popped the first one open and began typing furiously.</p><p>"You said you didn't have cameras," Alex said, as she scooted over next to Winn so she could see his screen too.</p><p>"I installed them this evening. Contingency of J'onn's."</p><p>He couldn't access his security footage directly, since he was outside of the range of his Wi-Fi, but since he'd bolted from his bed without his phone, he used it to piggyback the signal from his laptop, so it seemed like it was in the room, and presto!</p><p>With a few more clicks, Winn had pulled up the security footage from the past few hours, and set the speed at 3x. He and Alex watched as his past self checked the locks on the door and windows one final time, then hobbled to bed. And then there was no change until…</p><p>"Rewind that!" Alex demanded.</p><p>Winn did, and played the footage at regular speed. About an hour ago, the lock on his window popped open, <em>which somehow didn't trigger his security system</em>, and a small bundle floated its way across the room. The microwave opened on its own and the bundle settled itself on the turnstile. Then the microwave door clicked closed, the window slid shut and locked itself, and the microwave turned on for a 3-minute cook.</p><p>"The hell?"</p><p>Winn was already typing, trying to figure out if he'd been hacked, when Alex's hands landed on his, pressing them into the keyboard.</p><p>"Get off," he snapped, throwing his weight left to dislodge her. It did, briefly, but then the laptop screen closed on his hands.</p><p>"Not here," Alex said, quickly standing and lifting Winn to his feet. "Supergirl!"</p><p>Kara was in the hallway in an instant.</p><p>"We need to get Winn to the DEO. Whoever planted the bomb is invisible to security footage."</p><p>"I can fly him there."</p><p>Winn shook his head and held out one hand for some forced distance—not that Kara couldn't brush by it faster than the blink of an eye if she was so inclined. "Driving is fine. I assume that's how you got here?" he asked, turning to face Alex.</p><p>"We can drive Winn to the DEO and send a team back to investigate the scene," Alex said, to which Kara nodded. "Johnson, you and Smith hold post. Preserve the scene, keep people from coming and going. CSI should be here shortly, and I'll return for a full update when I can."</p><p>"With all due respect, ma'am," Johnson, who had been hovering just over Alex's shoulder this entire time, said, "Smith should go with you."</p><p>Alex considered this for a moment. "He can follow us in case the perp tries again. But you will stay here and hold down the scene."</p><p>"Copy that, Agent Danvers," was Johnson's final comment before he righted the folding chair beside the door to Winn's apartment and took a seat.</p><hr/><p>It was decided on the way to Alex's car—both Danvers' sisters ignoring Winn's insistence that this was most likely overkill—that Kara would fly overhead to identify any threats, while Alex drove. Winn would be sitting in the backseat, like a child… or a criminal.</p><p>"It was safer," she assured him. And while it did feel a bit demeaning, he trusted her.</p><p>The drive, which in reality wasn't very long because they had mostly green lights, felt like it took years. Every little sound, every honk, every shout of a drunken group heading home after last call, had Winn's heart racing as he whirled around to clock the source.</p><p><em>Someone had tried to kill him</em>. It was only now starting to sink in.</p><p>And that person was invisible to security cameras, which meant either they could turn invisible in real life—which was far more terrifying—or they were just hidden on camera. Or, he supposed, they were super Force-sensitive. But what that meant was an alien, a meta-human, or a Jedi was out to get him. Sure, Winn had assisted in locking up quite a few of the first two options while working with Kara and recently as an agent of the DEO, but he was just an analyst. He doubted any of them had seen his face. And those that had been committed after few cases he'd testified at were still firmly in prison. He'd confirmed that yesterday, just to be safe.</p><p>The fear from earlier was rapidly dissipating, leaving a wave of anger in its place.</p><p>
  <em>Someone had tried to kill him.</em>
</p><p>And they were going to be sorry they tried.</p><p>"When do I get my phone back?" he asked.</p><p>"As soon as it's cleared."</p><p>"Okay, then I need yours." Winn reached over the front seat and waved his hand. "Someone just tried to kill me, so I think it's safe to say I'm working the case. I don't care what the protocol says."</p><p>Alex grumbled something under her breath but then pulled her phone from her pocket without looking away from the road and handed it over. "Don't read my text messages okay?"</p><p>"I have no desire to learn what you and Maggie get up to in your free time," Winn stated. "I just need a hotspot."</p><p>Alex glanced up at Winn in the rearview mirror. "Don't you need—?"</p><p>"Your password? No."</p><p>Somewhat guiltily, he looked up and met Alex's gaze. "You should really stop unlocking it so publically. Also, turn off the lock trail. Makes it far too easy to see."</p><p>Alex was quiet for a moment. "Can you—"</p><p>"Already done." Winn had needed to go into settings anyway to activate the hotspot; turning off the trail took exactly another second. He then pried open one laptop and connected to the new network. It wasn't going to be great speed, but it would be good enough for now.</p><p>"Have we had any breakouts?" Winn asked as he logged into the DEO VPN then checked the footage of the containment unit. All the prisoners that were on the record were there, the timestamps were accurate, and the small movements were random and not repetitive, showing it wasn't being looped.</p><p>"No," Alex replied, "but Demos is manually checking now."</p><p>"What about the families of the people my dad killed? Are any of them associated with registered aliens?"</p><p>"We're checking."</p><p><em>Did he have to do </em>everything<em> around here?</em></p><p>Winn pulled up a new tab then began a modification of the search he'd run earlier. Despite being officially removed from the case, he had sudo'd in as another analyst to check out the families of the seven people his father had killed, as well as Chester Dunholtz. None of them lived in National City, nor had any of them taken a plane, train or boat here within the last month. Which meant they either had connections here or—</p><p>Alex's car slowed to a stop and Winn looked up in a panic to find them at the DEO garage. Alex showed the on-duty security officer her badge and explained the situation. They were let through not long after.</p><p>Winn had to leave his laptops at IT to be scanned before he could bring them into the command center, which he supposed was fair, and something he probably should have checked before firing up his searches. He hadn't seen the invisible being approach his desk though, or turn on his equipment, but if they were invisible to the security cameras and his motion sensors, who knew what they could do with the computer turned off.</p><p>Alex didn't even bother changing into her DEO uniform before she escorted Winn to the elevator and up to the wing of bunks. They were meant for agents on assignment to catch a break, or to house witnesses until a safer alternative could be found, but Winn knew they saw much more regular use.</p><p>"I want the one closest to the elevator," he said, as the elevator groaned into motion.</p><p>"It would be better farther away," Alex protested. "You'd have more—"</p><p>"I've seen what people get up to in these rooms," Winn retorted, before shaking his head rapidly to try to dislodge the mental image. "The one closest to the elevator is the least used and therefore the cleanest."</p><p>He looked over at Alex. "Besides, you're going to have someone posted outside my door anyway, right?"</p><p>She nodded.</p><p>"So I'll be fine."</p><p>It was only then that Winn realized he was still wearing his pajamas—an old T-shirt and a pair of thankfully solid-colored pajama pants (yes, he actually wore the Superman pair he'd been gifted for Christmas one year. They were hella soft, okay?)—beneath the shock blanket that was still draped over his shoulders. He didn't even remember putting on the socks and sneakers he was currently wearing. Or the knee brace. He was pretty sure he hadn't fallen asleep with them on.</p><p>"So is all my stuff evidence or…"</p><p>"It is. I was going to grab you some stuff on the way back from your place. You'll have to give me your sizes."</p><p>Winn nodded as the elevator doors opened onto the bunk wing. He made his way to the closest room and motioned for Alex to swipe her badge to open it.</p><p>"I assume I'm either going to get a clone of my badge, or some sort of guest access?" he asked, knowing his was back at his apartment, and apparently now evidence.</p><p>"IT is already on it," Alex said as she let them into the small concrete room. A twin bed was pushed against the right wall and a chest of drawers sat next to it, also serving as a nightstand. The bathroom, separated by a wooden door, wasn't much bigger, just a toilet, sink and shower arranged in a small rectangle.</p><p>"Home sweet home," Winn deadpanned as he dropped the shock blanket on the chest of drawers then carefully turned and walked out of the room.</p><p>"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Alex asked, stepping out in front of him before he could punch the button for the elevator.</p><p>"To work. Someone just tried to kill me and the rest of my building, Alex. I'm not going to give them a second chance."</p><hr/><p>"We're on the scene at 1st and Langley," a peppy blond twenty-something enthused into a ZNN's news camera, "where we've just received word that an explosive device was planted in a third floor apartment. According to the arson investigator, the charge would have been enough to level the entire building. It's lucky Super—"</p><p>Josh's cell phone rang a split second later. Recognizing the number, he groaned then clicked off the TV. It was going to be better to answer the phone now and get the impending conversation over with.</p><p>"What did you do?" his father demanded the second Josh picked up.</p><p>"It was only supposed to cause a slow-burning fire, not take down the whole place."</p><p>"That's not what it did."</p><p>"I know that now, dad." In hindsight, Josh should have known that the instructions from the dark web were probably meant for something more nefarious than a little apartment fire.</p><p>Before he could continue his defense, his father spoke up again. "I'm taking it from here."</p><p>"Dad, you can't—"</p><p>"I can and I will. What are their names? The ones who testify against me?"</p><p>"Dad, I really don't think—"</p><p>"Tell me!" his father shouted, so loudly and with such rage that Josh actually had to pull the phone away from his ear for a moment.</p><p>"It's really only the one analyst: Winn Schott Jr," he said unhappily. "His testimony about your alibi is the one that really sways the jury."</p><p>"Why do I know that name?"</p><p>"His father is Toyman. I was playing that up to draw suspicion away from your case."</p><p>"And how's that working for you?" His father's tone was cruel and callous, and he didn't wait for Josh to respond before continuing. "I'll take it from here, son. It's your turn to lay low. I'll call you when it's done."</p><p>"You're not going to… <em>murder</em> him, are you?" Josh asked, the word in question barely a whisper.</p><p>"No, but I <em>will </em>make sure he can't work my case. I'll call you when it's done," he repeated before hanging up.</p><p>In the silence that followed, Josh pulled the phone away from his ear again and stared at the blank screen, feeling not for the first time that the whole situation had spiraled violently out of control.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Chapter 6</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>To her credit, Alex had managed to drag Winn in for a quick check-up before he hopped (somewhat gracelessly) off the exam table and insisted he was no worse off than he had been yesterday. It was that careful phrasing, the shaping the outright lie into the semblance of a half-truth, that revealed that that was the exact opposite of how Winn was really feeling. Physically, however, he was right; he'd somehow managed to not make his knee any worse during his mad dash into the hallway and his many collisions with the floor.</p><p>Mentally however… it wasn't like Winn to be quiet and reserved. He'd sat through her whole examination without saying more than five words, and had only perked up when she'd declared the tests over. The whole way to her lab, she'd tried to talk him out of heading back to work because, yes, she was worried about him: two traumatic events in two days would weigh on the most seasoned of agents. That being said, she also knew him well enough to know that he wouldn't admit to needing help or needing to slow down—part of that she suspected stemmed from being friends with literal superheroes, but the rest was just the kid who had clawed his way through a tragic backstory, determined to make something of himself.</p><p>Without another word, Winn began limping toward the elevator and making an impatient 'follow me' gesture with his left hand. He was surprisingly fast despite his injured knee and made it to the elevator by the time Alex had only just stepped out of her lab. Even from that distance, she saw him eying the stairs.</p><p>"I will kill you," she stated as she pulled the door to her lab closed. "Don't try me."</p><p>Winn grumbled something under his breath that Alex, probably thankfully, couldn't hear.</p><p>"Thanks," he did mumble, this time more audibly, as she caught up to him and swiped her badge to let them into the elevator, where she promptly punched the button for the main floor.</p><p>"I'm just glad you're alright." If she then reached over and pulled him into a one-armed hug, no one but the security system had to know.</p><p>Not long after, the elevator doors opened on the main floor, revealing a staff of more than just the third shift buzzing around the command center. As she took in the sight, Alex began to temporarily reconsider the idea that this wouldn't be the worst place for Winn, at least for a little while. It would keep him out of his head, and he'd be in view of many highly-qualified agents, which made it less likely, but not entirely impossible, for further trouble to find him.</p><p>Winn took off for his desk the moment the doors had started to slide apart, once again leaving Alex powerwalking to catch up with him. She only slowed when Vasquez slid into step beside her.</p><p>"Should he be here?" she asked softly, gesturing at Winn, who hadn't seemed to have noticed—or cared—that Alex was no longer following him.</p><p>"Probably not. But given the last few days he's had, I put the chances of him crashing after an hour at almost 90%."</p><p>Just then, Alex's phone rang. She held up her index finger then turned her back to Vasquez to answer it.</p><p>"Danvers."</p><p>"It's Agent David. NCPD is trying to enter Agent Schott's apartment. Supergirl's deflecting but it's not going well."</p><p>Alex groaned internally as she turned back to Vasquez. "I have to go back to his apartment. Can you keep an eye on him? And significantly reduce the access on his temp badge to keep him here?"</p><p>Vasquez nodded. "Sure thing."</p><p>As Alex told Agent David she was on her way, she watched Vasquez look back toward Winn's workstation to find him gone. Alex ended the call then tapped Vasquez on the shoulder to get her attention and pointed to the far corner of the command center where Winn, a few items in hand, was inching his way toward the elevator. "That's your freebie. He's probably heading up to his lab. He should need a badge…"</p><p><em>Should </em>was the opportune word. As if realizing they were watching him, Winn held up a badge and swiped it at the elevator. While Alex looked down and realized hers was missing from her belt, Winn stepped into the elevator, mouthed 'sorry' in their direction, then quickly closed the doors.</p><p>"I. Am going. To <em>kill</em> him." Alex vowed. She headed toward the stairs but Vasquez caught her arm.</p><p>"You go to his apartment. I'll keep an eye on him and take back your badge. Call me when you get here and I—or someone else—will run it down to you."</p><p>"Fine." Alex looked back at Vasquez. "You sure you got him?"</p><p>She nodded, her mouth set into a tight line. "Yeah."</p><p>As she headed off, Alex's phone rang again and she put it to her ear without checking the caller ID.</p><p>"Is Winn okay?" James demanded as soon as she answered. "I heard about the bomb at his place, and he's not picking up."</p><p>"He's fine. Kara got there in time. His phone is still at his place, but he's here at the DEO under Vasquez's supervision. I'm on my way to..." She trailed off as her brain fully processed James' last sentence. "What do you mean you heard about the bomb?"</p><p>"It's all over the news. Nothing specific to Winn or any of tenants, just a bunch of exterior shots. Apparently the thing could have taken down the entire building."</p><p>"Find out who the source is and shut them down! The last thing we need is a mass panic while we try to figure this out."</p><p>"On it. Does Winn need anything?"</p><p>"No. Wait, yes, actually. All his stuff is evidence. All he has is the T-shirt and pajama pants he was sleeping in. He's wearing a pair of my socks and the shoes he left at my apartment after that hike Kara wanted us to take last month."</p><p>"So, like, normal clothes and toiletries?"</p><p>"Yeah. He gave me his sizes. I'll text them to you."</p><p>"Great." There was a brief commotion in the background before James asked, "So, how's he doing? Really."</p><p>"Ignoring the problem and trying to find a solution."</p><p>"So nothing abnormal."</p><p>"Nope. But that probably says a lot more about us than it does him."</p><p>James huffed out a laugh. "Do you have any leads on the person who did it? Anything I can help with?"</p><p>"All we know is that they can't be seen on camera. Or they're telekinetic." She pointedly ignored the second question because she had no idea how <em>she </em>was going to contribute to this new discovery, let alone what she could find for James to do.</p><p>"Well that's something at least. Have you talked to anyone at Al's yet? See what they know?"</p><p>She should talk to James more often, if he kept solving her problems like this. "You know what? It'd be really helpful if you could stop by. And maybe tell Mon-El and the other bartenders to keep an ear out."</p><p>"Yup. I'll bring some stuff by for Winn then head over."</p><p>"Thank you," Alex said. "Really."</p><p>"It's what the Superfriends are for, right?" James replied, without an ounce of sarcasm, before ending the call.</p><p>Unable to disagree, Alex found herself nodding as she slid her phone into her pocket and began making her way down to the parking garage.</p><hr/><p>"So how did Alex take it?" Winn asked, hearing Vasquez crest the stairs as he continued his slow hobble to his lab.</p><p>"Not well. If someone hadn't already tried to kill you tonight, I'd be seriously worried."</p><p>Vasquez, with two uninjured knees, quickly caught up to Winn and held out her hand. Winn sighed and handed over Alex's badge, which Vasquez then slid into the shoulder of her DEO-issue sweater, pinning it under the strap of her sports bra, where Winn wouldn't dare to steal it again.</p><p>"I just wanted to go to my lab," he muttered, pointing at the glass-enclosed room in front of him.</p><p>"Until we get this figured out, you have to take someone with you."</p><p>"We're in the DEO! I should be totally safe here, especially now that J'onn had me—us—soup up security… Though it is coming to bite me now." Having finally made it to the lab door, Winn gestured to the badge reader he'd installed a few months ago and scowled. "Maybe I should have been marginally less efficient."</p><p>Vasquez sighed then leaned forward to swipe her badge, letting them both in. "What are we doing up here anyway?"</p><p>"Have you seen the security footage from my apartment?"</p><p>She shook her head.</p><p>"I'll pull it up for you later. But something opened my window, levitated the bomb over to my microwave, set a timer, and closed my window without getting caught on my verified-working security system. So, in a world without Jedis, the culprit is either invisible to the camera, can turn themselves invisible on a whim, or they're telekinetic."</p><p>"And what are we doing in your lab?"</p><p>"If they can turn themselves invisible, we need a way to locate them, otherwise they can commit a bunch of other crimes undetected. Or get into the DEO and try again…" He trailed off, wincing. "I see your point, Bri. I will stick with a buddy, even though I want it on the record that I am a grown man and not a wayward four-year-old."</p><p>"Your display down in the command center shows otherwise."</p><p>Winn made a face at Vasquez then sat down at the closest table and released the handful of odds and ends he'd been carrying. Vasquez had seen most of them at his workstation at one point or another, but had no idea what they were for.</p><p>"Are you here to just watch me, or can you help?" he asked.</p><p>"Help in small doses."</p><p>Winn looked relieved. "Good, cos my knee is killing me and my soldering stuff is way over there." He pointed to the workstation in the back corner. "Would you get it for me? The whole unit."</p><p>"Sure," she said without hesitation. "But when Alex returns, you are telling her about your knee."</p><p>"Fine," he said equally quickly. Then, he held out his hands and opened and closed his fists a few times. "My tools, please."</p><p>Vasquez rolled her eyes good-naturedly, then set off across the lab to fetch them.</p><hr/><p>On the other side of town, Alex flashed her FBI badge to get into Winn's apartment building, then walked into the crime scene. Or at least, she tried to. The entrance was blocked by Agent David, who was positioned in the open doorway, elbows out so they almost touched the doorframe. Kara, in her full Supergirl suit, stood behind her with her hands on her hips, arguing with a blond haired man wearing an NCPD jacket.</p><p>"You do not have jurisdiction here," the man was saying, and based on the frustrated expression on Kara's face, it wasn't the first time he'd voiced that opinion.</p><p>"Yes, we do," Alex said, coming up behind them. She held out her FBI badge and dropped it open. "Alex Danvers, Associate director of the FBI." Though that was hardly her job title at the DEO, she and J'onn had learned plenty early on that the combination of 'associate' and 'director' tended to garner a much better reaction from other departments than just 'agent' alone. "Agent Schott is one of ours."</p><p>The man opened his mouth but before he could speak again, Alex continued. "We're more than happy to share our findings with you, sir, as long as we can rule this out as being related to an active case."</p><p>"Agent Danvers, I've been told a bomb of that size could have levelled this entire apartment building. I insist on being part of the investigation."</p><p>"Unfortunately, I can't do that, sir. National security and all. What I can promise is the same thing I said earlier: if and when we clear this as unrelated to Agent Schott's current workload, we will happily read you and your team in." She held out her card. "And if you still aren't happy with that answer, I will refer you to my boss, Hank Henshaw. Feel free to call now. He's not known for sleeping through the night."</p><p>The man unhappily accepted the card and took a step back. "I'll be waiting for a verdict from you tomorrow, Agent. Otherwise my team and I will be investigating this case."</p><p>Deadlines in this business were so fleeting that Alex felt no shame in nodding. "Of course, sir."</p><p>He handed over one of his cards then unhappily left, his crime scene tech trailing behind.</p><p>"Well that was exciting," Alex commented to Agent David, who had stepped aside to let her in. "Good job holding down the fort."</p><p>"With Supergirl at my back, it wasn't as bad as it could have been. He just refused to take no for an answer."</p><p>Alex nodded but didn't add additional commentary, not wanting to get into interagency politics tonight.</p><p>"So what do we have?" she asked, taking a look around the apartment. The ice wall that Kara had erected between Winn's kitchen and his dining space was melting, and the space behind it was blackened and far spread. Based on that pattern alone, Winn was lucky Kara had gotten here when she did, or the news would have been correct in their statement that there would have been a lot more damage.</p><p>The arson investigator who had been assigned by the Fire Department, a consult the DEO hadn't been able to shake, said pretty much the same thing the NCFD had: that based on the size of the remains, the bomb would have destroyed much of the building. His team would need to take it back to the lab to determine more about its components and hopefully find a signature in the way it had been built.</p><p>As much as Alex wanted to refuse, that wasn't anyone's area of specialty at the DEO, not even Winn's. It was better to have someone who dealt with those cases every day work on it to get the fastest and most accurate results.</p><p>"Have you told anyone else about this?" she then asked, her mind slipping back to how the news stations would have found out about the bomb and its size.</p><p>"No, ma'am," the investigator said. "And I can guarantee none of the NCFD did either. They're all stand-up guys."</p><p>Much as she wanted to believe him, Alex couldn't—not until they had all been questioned. But that would be a problem for later, and hopefully not one at all if James came through in shutting the story down and potentially identifying a source.</p><p>"What about the security system?" she asked, turning to Agent David.</p><p>"I haven't seen the footage yet, ma'am. Called the alarm system but they're having trouble getting a hold of the manager to sign-off on releasing the footage to us."</p><p>"And accessing it locally?"</p><p>"Agent Schott's computers are off and it's not standard operating procedure to turn them on here, in case of what might ride the connection. I need the sandbox back at the office, and potentially Agent Schott's credentials to speed things up."</p><p>"Alright. Let's get them packed up and taken to the D—FBI as quickly as possible."</p><p>Her phone rang a split second later.</p><p>"Danvers," she said, answering without looking.</p><p>"Please make sure they pack my computers up nicely. I put a lot of time, effort, and money into building them."</p><p>Alex groaned. "Vasquez was supposed to cut your access. Is she at least in the room with you?"</p><p>There was a shuffling sound then a muffled, "Alex wants to talk to you."</p><p>"You have eyes on Agent Schott?" she demanded once Vasquez came on the line.</p><p>"Yes, ma'am. We're in his lab building a device to identify invisibility. It's pretty brilliant actually—"</p><p>"And his computer access?"</p><p>"I need it to run simulations!" Winn called from the distance. There was a shuffling again, then a clunk, and Winn's voice appeared much clearer and closer. "I need it to run simulations," he repeated at a normal volume, "and check on the DEO's anti-teleportation shields. But yes, I do have the security feeds from my apartment on in the background."</p><p>"I thought they were Ethernet only," Alex stated before she could stop herself.</p><p>"Short version: I'm piggybacking off my phone, which is still—"</p><p>"Winn. This is a crime scene. <em>Your </em>crime scene."</p><p>"I know. I'm being careful," Winn replied, his tone somber and serious. "But you won't be able to get into my security system without me. That's what I called to tell you. You'll have to bring my computers back here, and I'll have to make them think they're still in my apartment."</p><p>"But you're accessing the feeds now?"</p><p>"Yeah, cos I'm—"</p><p>"Piggybacking off your phone. Got it. Can you send me what you showed me earlier so Agent David and the arson investigator can take a look?"</p><p>There was brief typing then a, "Done."</p><p>Alex's phone chirped and she pulled it away from her ear to find a MMS incoming.</p><p>"Second window from the left, it was," Winn continued. "But Kara blew it out on the way in."</p><p>Kara, who was still standing in the apartment and could have overheard their conversation even without her superhearing, winced. "Sorry."</p><p>"Not your fault," Winn said. "I'm just glad you got there when you did."</p><p>As Alex tipped her phone at Kara, who nodded that she'd heard that too, Winn continued, "That's a 'thank you', by the way. Because I don't think I said it before. Or if I did, it's worth repeating."</p><p>"You're welcome, Agent Schott," Kara replied, before being summoned to the kitchen to answer some more questions from the arson investigator.</p><p>"I doubt there's much remaining of the microwave for a print, huh?" Winn asked, over a burst of furious typing.</p><p>"It's not looking like it." Then Alex shook her head, again realizing she was discussing a crime scene with someone who, on a technicality, didn't have explicit permission to work the case. "We'll handle this W—Agent Schott. Put Vasquez back on."</p><p>Winn grumbled something, but a beat later, Vasquez returned.</p><p>"Yes, ma'am?"</p><p>"We're going to need to depose Winn and," Alex paused briefly to check the time, "give J'onn an update."</p><p>"I'll have Hernandez get the interview room ready, ma'am. And I can call Director J'onzz if you'd like."</p><p>Alex looked back at the apartment's occupants which had surged into some sort of coordinated motion.</p><p>"That'd be great," she said to Vasquez, as she watched them take one final photo, then began to pull what remained of the microwave from its mounting. "I'll be back as soon as I can. In the meantime, please keep Winn away from here. Virtually or otherwise."</p><p>"I'll do my best," Vasquez promised.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Chapter 7</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Not long after receiving Vasquez's call, J'onn, sensing Winn might want to change out of his pajamas, retrieved a set of DEO-emblazoned training gear from the gym, then made his way up to Winn's lab. He wasn't surprised at all to find the genius hard at work on a small handheld device, while Vasquez silently handed him supplies over his shoulder.</p><p>Vasquez saw J'onn first, but waited until Winn was done fiddling with a particular part before tapping him on the shoulder. Winn glanced up, his expression fearful for a split second, until he recognized J'onn.</p><p>"Boss man!" he crooned, but didn't get up. "What are you doing here this late?"</p><p>Given that that answer should be obvious, J'onn tilted his head and looked at Winn, who, after a beat, shrugged.</p><p>"Okay, I know why you're at the DEO, but why are you <em>here</em>? Like, in my lab?"</p><p>"I'm checking on a close friend who went through a rather traumatic experience a few hours ago, and bringing them a change of clothes," J'onn replied. "But if you want a more directorial answer, we need your official statement."</p><p>Winn flinched slightly. "Wait, I didn't mean…" He pushed himself to his feet and hobbled around the long lab table. "Sorry, it's been a long day," he said once he was standing in front of J'onn. "Thanks for coming by, and bringing those."</p><p>He reached for the bundle of clothes pinned under J'onn's arm, but stopped when J'onn made no motion to hold them out to him.</p><p>"I have a question for you first," J'onn said, "and I need you to answer it honestly."</p><p>Winn must have predicted where this was going, since without waiting for J'onn to actually ask the question, he replied, "I'm okay. Really. Had a bit of a breakdown right after, but now I'm just mad. And somewhat confused by the fact that they beat my security system."</p><p>"And your knee?"</p><p>"Sore, but no worse than earlier."</p><p>J'onn looked at Winn for a long moment, but didn't see any signs that the other man was lying.</p><p>"I'm truly glad to hear that." He held out the clothes to Winn. "Get changed and meet me in interview room A for your deposition. Vasquez, you can return to duty."</p><p>"With all due respect, sir," Winn interjected, "we really need to finish the invisibility detection device. And if I'm going to be locked away in an interview, Vasquez is the best person for the job."</p><p>J'onn looked over Winn's shoulder at Vasquez. "Can you finish it?"</p><p>"Yes, sir," she said.</p><p>"Good. When you're finished, bring it by the interview room, then return to duty."</p><p>"Yes, sir," she repeated before grabbing a pair of safety goggles and getting to work.</p><hr/><p>While Winn was being properly deposed, Alex and Kara had returned to the DEO and were watching as the remaining analysts typed furiously on their keyboards.</p><p>"<em>Anything</em> about Chester Dunholtz? Family members? Close friends?" Alex asked.</p><p>"Nothing yet, ma'am."</p><p>"How about the family of the agent Toyman killed during his arrest?"</p><p>"They moved to Limestone, Maine two years ago, ma'am. Haven't been back since."</p><p>"And Smith and Johnson didn't see <em>anything</em>?" she asked, but it was a rhetorical question, since she'd already interviewed both of them on the scene. They hadn't seen anyone or anything enter or exit either the building or Winn's floor, nor had Smith seen anyone hanging around outside the building either.</p><p>"It's like he's being harassed by Casper," Alex grumbled to Kara, who signed unhappily.</p><p>"What about the registered telekinetics?"</p><p>"It's a long list, ma'am. We're working through it, giving priority to those registered and in the National City area."</p><p>"Pull in whoever you need. Overtime is not an issue for the next few days." It wasn't just about Winn anymore. That bomb had endangered the rest of his apartment complex, which logistically and in payroll's eyes made the perp more of a threat than he'd already been.</p><p>"Yes, ma'am." Vasquez turned to Hernandez. "Call in whoever is available, or whoever can start helping us iterate over the results."</p><p>Vasquez turned back to Alex, and seemed almost surprised to find her there. "Anything else, ma'am?"</p><p>"I want to help. And it sounds like you can use it. So what can I do?"</p><p>Vasquez smiled then led Alex over to an empty workstation. "We need to run down alibis of the searches popping up on the screen," she pointed at the wall, which was rotating through batches of DMV photographs of registered telekinetics. "And here's how you do that."</p><hr/><p>Sometime later, James walked into the DEO carrying a large bagful of supplies. He saw Alex sitting at a workstation and headed over to her.</p><p>"How is he?" he asked, startling Alex.</p><p>"Still upstairs with J'onn. I guess he's being very thorough."</p><p>"Any news on who tried to blow up Winn's apartment?"</p><p>Alex filled James in on what they had, which was still a whole lot of nothing.</p><p>"There's no way someone is this methodical," James said when she was finished. "They'll slip up somewhere." Before Alex could respond, he asked, "Anything you need me to do?"</p><p>"Just… be around for Winn. I have a feeling he's going to crash soon and it might not be pretty."</p><p>James nodded. "You got it."</p><p>They only waited about ten more minutes—Alex continuing to run down alibis and flagging the most likely for Alpha squad to divvy up and check out while James ran a few searches of his own on his phone—before her computer beeped.</p><p>"What is it?" James said, sitting upright immediately.</p><p>"J'onn and Winn are done," she said, pointing at the security footage of the interview room where the two in question were standing up, one significantly more stably than the other. She logged out of the computer and motioned for James to follow her up the stairs, where they met Winn and J'onn as they were leaving the room.</p><p>"Hey man," James said, as soon as Winn came into sight. "Glad to see you're alright."</p><p>"Hey. What are you doing here?" Winn asked, his face scrunched in genuine confusion. He looked down at his watch, then back up at James. "It's the middle of the night."</p><p>"I heard what happened on the news and came right—"</p><p>Winn's face paled, causing James to swallow the rest of his sentence.</p><p>"It was on the news? Did they mention my name?" Winn reached for his back pocket, presumably for his phone, and scowled when he came up empty. "I need one of your phones," he said, holding out his hand to James or Alex. "Or my laptop. Now. Now. Now!" he demanded, snapping his fingers in time to the last three syllables.</p><p>"Hey… hey. Winn. <em>Breathe</em>," Alex said, reaching out a hand but not making contact with her visibly upset friend. "We're keeping the exact details under wraps, but they did get some exterior shots of the fire department entering and exiting the building."</p><p>"I only recognized it cos I've been there before," James chimed in.</p><p>Alex nodded. "We're being careful, Winn, I promise. We know how much your privacy means to you."</p><p>Winn nodded slightly but he didn't look entirely convinced.</p><p>"You can still have my phone if you want," James said, pulling his out of his pocket and holding it out. "But I grabbed a burner for you, along with some other stuff, since Alex said all yours is evidence."</p><p>Wordlessly, Winn accepted the proffered bag instead, then opened the handles and looked through it. "Thanks," he said to James before pulling out the cheap, but still touchscreen smart phone.</p><p>"It was all they had," James said, semi-apologetically.</p><p>"It's fine. Really." Winn popped it out of the cellophane and turned it on. "Now I just need to clone mine—It's still in my apartment, right?"</p><p>Alex nodded. "Until the arson inspector is done."</p><p>"Good." Winn looked around the hallway, then back at them. "I'm gonna go to my room, get this all set-up, and unpack," he said, holding up the bag. "If that's okay."</p><p>"Absolutely."</p><p>"I'll walk you back," J'onn said.</p><p>"No, J'onn, really, it's like thirty feet—"</p><p>"I need to go that way anyway," J'onn said, in a tone that left no room for argument.</p><p>Winn inhaled sharply but seemed to accept his fate. "Okay, boss man. Lead the way.</p><p>"Thanks again," he said to James before trailing J'onn down the hall.</p><p>It was only outside the door to Winn's temporary residence that J'onn stopped and turned back to Winn.</p><p>"I've taken the liberty of taking you off the schedule tomorrow morning," he began, and was almost immediately cut off by Winn.</p><p>"That's really not necessary, sir. I'm more than—"</p><p>"I don't think I was clear," J'onn interjected. "You are more than welcome to go anywhere in the DEO accompanied by Agent Johnson, but under no circumstances are you to go down to the command center, or log onto the server before noon."</p><p>"J'onn, really—"</p><p>"Keep arguing, Agent Schott, and I will make it a full day's break."</p><p>Winn's jaw clamped shut, but his eyes burned unhappily.</p><p>"Winn." J'onn reached out his hand and rested it on Winn's shoulder, surprised when his agent didn't pull away. "I know it doesn't seem fair but you need to rest. To heal. We're going to need everyone at their best to keep up with our case load, and if that means you taking the morning off to get some actual uninterrupted sleep, then that is how it has to be."</p><p>Lips set in a thin line, Winn nodded before letting out a long exhale. "I want it on the record that I'm not happy about it, but I accept your terms. I'll be down there ready to get to work at noon sharp."</p><p>J'onn nodded. "I'd expect nothing less."</p><hr/><p>Later that night, Alex made her way up to Winn's quarters, his laptops which had just cleared IT's inspection in one hand and a bag from Al's in the other. She'd gone to Al's to check in with the bartenders, including Stella who was working the night shift, to see if they'd heard anything about the bank robbery, or now, the attempted bombing at Winn's apartment—though mindful of Winn's privacy, she'd left his name out of the conversation. Neither of the three on-shift had heard anything, nor had any of the kitchen staff, but as always, they promised to call if they did.</p><p>As Alex stepped out of the elevator, she heard a vaguely familiar song emanating from Winn's bunk, and it took her a second to place it. She could safely say she hasn't heard it in years.</p><p>She flashed her badge at the agent outside Winn's room, who must have spelled Johnson for a few hours, then tapped softly on the door. Almost before she pulled her hand away, the song stopped. Footsteps approached from the other side of the door and she took a step back so she'd be clearly visible in the hall's security cameras.</p><p>"It's Alex," she said too, just in case Winn wanted extra verification.</p><p>She heard the chain unlock, then the door opened to reveal Winn still dressed in the same DEO-issued outfit as earlier.</p><p>Alex held up her two bags. "I brought chicken wings, and your computers."</p><p>Winn's face brightened, but the expression didn't reach his eyes. Still, he took the bags and motioned for her to enter.</p><p>Though he had stopped the movie that was playing on his phone, the screen hadn't faded to black yet, meaning as Alex stepped inside the small room, she was able to see a still of <em>Aladdin </em>before Winn was able to poke the power button.</p><p>"Hey," Alex said, gently catching his arm as he pulled back. "Kara loves watching those movies too."</p><p>It was meant to be comforting, but Winn's face was totally and unusually blank. "They got me through some tough times," was all he said. He put the takeout bag down on the table then began unloading its contents.</p><p>"I assume some of this is for you," he said to Alex when he pulled out two containers of wings.</p><p>She shook her head. "It's always good to have extras. Besides, you said yourself they taste fine cold."</p><p>"I did say that, didn't I?" He looked at them for another moment then lowered them to the table.</p><p>"Not hungry?" Alex asked as she stepped closer.</p><p>"Not really." He looked up at her. "I know I should be, but I'm just not."</p><p>"You have had a rough few days." But just to be sure nothing else was amiss, Alex slowly reached out her hand and laid the back of it against Winn's head.</p><p>"That cannot be scientific," he deadpanned, but didn't pull away.</p><p>"It's surprisingly accurate. And for the record, you feel fine." She then sat down, gesturing for Winn who was standing with every muscle in his body tensed, to do the same.</p><p>He did so, semi-reluctantly.</p><p>"Do you want me to go?" Alex asked, when Winn didn't start up a conversation.</p><p>In the span of about a second, he shrugged, nodded, then shook his head. Finally, he frowned, then rested his elbows against the table and dropped his head into his hands. "Honestly, I don't know what to think. I mean, I always was prepared for the possibility someone could come after me because of my dad—he did kill seven people, after all. But for something I didn't even do?" His voice was thin, and if Alex could see his face, she suspected he'd be biting down on his lip to keep his voice from quavering further.</p><p>"Hey." She reached out and began rubbing his shoulder. "You're not wrong here, Winn. They are. We'll find whoever is after you, and there will be consequences to their actions." Then she leaned down until her chin was almost touching the table. "Look at me."</p><p>Winn did slowly, his lips pressed tightly together and his eyes red.</p><p>"You belong here. This is not your fault." When he didn't react at all, she continued, "I need you to show me you understand what I'm saying."</p><p>He finally nodded.</p><p>"Say it."</p><p>"'s not my fault." Then he swiped under his eyes. "I don't even know why I'm acting like this. I'm like… in a fog and I can't see or do anything right."</p><p>"You're tired," Alex said, reaching out and taking Winn's hand. "It's one of the perks of sleep deprivation."</p><p>"I am not <em>deprived</em>."</p><p>"Your last comment says otherwise." Alex slid her hand up to Winn's, gently took it, and led him over to the bed. "Now, is watching <em>Aladdin </em>a one-person activity or can I stay?"</p><p>"You can stay," he said, lowering himself onto the bed so his head was propped up by the wall before he patted the space beside him. "Wanna grab my computer? It'll be easier to watch with two people."</p><p>Alex brought over the bag containing both laptops, then assumed a position similar to Winn's while he fired one up and located the movie. After setting it on the bed between them he tapped the space bar and the genie's song poured through the speakers.</p><p>"We're going to figure this out," Alex said, reaching over and grabbing Winn's hand while he was still allowing her to do so. "I promise."</p><p>Winn looked over at her and nodded. "I know. I trust you."</p><p>They watched the rest of the movie in silence.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Not much action, but I think we can all agree Winn needs <i>a break</i>. Not for long though! The action picks up again in the next chapter!</p><p>Thanks so much for all your kind words and alerts!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Chapter 8</h2></a>
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      <p>The next day at high noon, Winn stepped off the elevator to find Vasquez sitting at the workstation next to his.</p>
      <p>"Don't you ever sleep?" he asked as he limped into the command center.</p>
      <p>She looked over at him and quirked an eyebrow. "Do you?"</p>
      <p>"When I'm forced to." Now at his workstation, Winn lowered himself into his seat and flipped on his monitor. "So where are we at?"</p>
      <p>"None of the items that were taken from the vault are showing up in any databases. That being said, most of them had intrinsic value, like pictures and documents. Even the jewelry and such were of pretty low market value, so it's likely they were pawned somewhere smaller."</p>
      <p>Winn opened his mouth to protest that he'd meant <em>his </em>case and not the bank robbery, but Vasquez was on a roll.</p>
      <p>"Still, we're opening up the range of similar cases and seeing what we get. Given that we've determined alibis for all the registered aliens with teleportation abilities, we're banking on someone unregistered, who up until this point has stayed fairly under the radar. We're also reaching out to some folks who have knowledge of the smaller factions of aliens, just in case we find another species that has these abilities. But that's taking longer than expected, so we're back to searching for similar cases across the country, and hoping we find a match."</p>
      <p>"What about my case?" Winn asked, the second she paused for air. "And don't tell me I'm not allowed to work it. I had this conversation with Alex last night and she agreed—" Winn paused "—well, she didn't so much <em>agree </em>as not disagree, which I'm choosing to take as positive confirmation I'm on the case."</p>
      <p>Vasquez just shook her head. "I'm not allowed to discuss your case with you. Director J'onzz's orders."</p>
      <p>"But I saw J'onn last night and he didn't—"</p>
      <p>"I'm sorry, Winn, but I have my orders."</p>
      <p>He understood that, he <em>did</em>, but that didn't make it any easier to hear.</p>
      <p>"I do have a couple of things for you though," she continued as she slid a small black device down the tabletop between their workstations.</p>
      <p>"You finished it!" Winn exclaimed, instantly recognizing the invisibility-detecting device they'd been working on last night. He quickly picked it up and began inspecting its final form.</p>
      <p>Vasquez nodded. "And I tested it on Patterson down in lock-up and it works like a charm."</p>
      <p>Temporarily mollified, Winn sat down at his desk and turned over the device to examine it from all sides.</p>
      <p>"Director J'onzz has cleared you to work on a larger prototype to shield the entire DEO," Vasquez said. "Even if your assailant isn't invisible, it's something we should protect ourselves against."</p>
      <p>"What about the bank robbery?" Winn asked absently, trying to shelve the designs already rolling through his brain.</p>
      <p>"Director J'onzz has deemed this a higher priority."</p>
      <p>Winn shook his head unhappily but managed to refrain from commenting. "You said you had something else for me?" he asked, setting the device aside.</p>
      <p>"Your new badge from IT." She shuffled through a small pile on the desk until she located it, and waved it in the air. "Per Director J'onzz orders, you're limited to one floor at a time, and can only get to another floor with someone else's badge." She looked over at him, eyes narrowed. "<em>Which</em> I promised Director J'onzz you would not borrow, and would not hack IT to augment your perms. So don't make a liar out of me."</p>
      <p>Winn reached for the badge but Vasquez pulled it back. "Promise me."</p>
      <p>"Really?"</p>
      <p>She nodded, deadly serious.</p>
      <p>Winn sighed. "Fine, I promise," he said as he leaned forward and snatched his badge out of Vasquez's grip.</p>
      <p>While it wasn't the worst assignment, building the new prototype would sequester him in the lab, away from the possible updates in his case. Well, that wasn't entirely true; all he'd promised to Vasquez was that he wouldn't increase the permissions on his badge. She hadn't said anything about not keeping an eye on the happenings in the command center, and neither had Alex or J'onn…</p>
      <p>"So I can get started?" he asked, before his face could give away his plan.</p>
      <p>Vasquez tipped her head at Johnson, who had appeared out of nowhere and was currently standing beneath the wall of screens.</p>
      <p>"Yeah, yeah," Winn muttered as he limped toward Johnson. Instead of cruising right by and expecting the agent to follow, however, Winn stopped in front of him. "Thank you," he said. "For last night."</p>
      <p>"As I recall, it was you who burst into the hallway yelling about a bomb," Johnson said with a slight smile.</p>
      <p>"But you did the rest. And sat outside my door in that horrible chair all night."</p>
      <p>"It is my job, Agent Schott." And Johnson seemed content to leave it at that.</p>
      <p>"Shall we get you to work?" he then asked, gesturing toward the elevator.</p>
      <p>Winn nodded, then led the way to the elevator where, sure enough, he needed a swipe of Johnson's badge to get it to ferry them up to his lab.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>A few hours later, Winn's actual phone—which had been inspected by IT that morning, and returned to him not long ago—buzzed, drawing his attention from the holographic schematics he'd been messing with. Winn looked down at the incoming message and groaned.</p>
      <p>"What is it?" Johnson asked from the other side of the lab, where he'd been keeping a watchful eye over the situation but mostly staying out of Winn's way.</p>
      <p>"Personal," Winn said, the corner of his mouth tilting down. "I need to see Alex. She's on this floor, so you don't have to come."</p>
      <p>Not unexpectedly, Johnson ignored Winn and followed him out of his lab and over to Alex's on the other side of the mezzanine.</p>
      <p>He tapped twice on her door and didn't wait for her to welcome him in before entering.</p>
      <p>"Everything okay?" she asked, motioning for Johnson to take five.</p>
      <p>"Yeah. I'm fine. Everyone's fine. No leads yet." When an explanation failed him, he just held out his phone to her.</p>
      <p>"You got it back," she said before looking at the message onscreen. It was a note from a woman named Andrea reminding Winn of his class at Big Brothers, Big Sisters Saturday at noon. He'd been volunteering there for a few years now, but only recently had Andrea asked him to start teaching the kids programming, to better set them up for the future.</p>
      <p>"What are you teaching?" Alex asked, looking back up at him.</p>
      <p>"An intro class to Python 6. They flew through all our Scratch stuff, so I thought I'd break them into the real thing."</p>
      <p>"You know you probably can't go."</p>
      <p>"I do. But I don't want to leave them hanging. It's the stuff like that that makes the rest of the week manageable."</p>
      <p>He left it there, not wanting to go into any specifics, but he could see from the way Alex reacted that she'd understood that he was speaking from experience.</p>
      <p>"I'm on shift, otherwise I would. You could look at the duty roster and see who's off or," she looked up at him and grinned, "you could ask James."</p>
      <p>Winn pulled a face. "James? He doesn't know how to program."</p>
      <p>"True, but he knows karate. Wouldn't it be fun to get those kids outside and learning some self-defense? From the guy who knows Superman no less."</p>
      <p>Winn considered this for a moment then nodded. "When you pitch it like that, I think that might work… Do you think he'd do it?"</p>
      <p>"For the kids alone, yes. But if you're the one asking, no question."</p>
      <p>Winn nodded again. "Thanks, Alex."</p>
      <p>With that, he walked out of the lab and dialed James' number.</p>
      <p>"Hey, man, everything okay?" his friend asked after just one ring.</p>
      <p>"Yeah, it's all good over here. It's just…" Winn swallowed hard, then forced the words out. "I need a favor."</p>
      <p>"What's up?"</p>
      <p>Winn set off explaining the BBBS event a mile a minute, not at all registering when James said, "Yes."</p>
      <p>"No, hear me out," he pleaded, sure the rest of his pitch would fully convince James. "They're a little small and nerdy, but they're fast learners. Just make it a game and they'll warm right up to you. Keith, he's the youngest, he has the biggest brain out of all of them, even though he doesn't say much. He's kinda the leader—"</p>
      <p>"Winn, I said yes."</p>
      <p>Winn paused. "You did?"</p>
      <p>"I did. I'd be happy to help out. Just send me the address. And if it turns out your case is solved by then, we can do something together, or I'll bow out. Whatever you need."</p>
      <p>"Oh." Winn was quiet for a second. "Thanks."</p>
      <p>"Anytime, brother."</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Not long after Winn visited her, Alex made her way down from her lab to check in with the analysts in person. Though she'd been reviewing all their findings on Winn's case, she knew from experience there was a lot in progress that hadn't yet made it into the case file, because they weren't certainties. But that in-progress work was what she wanted to be informed about.</p>
      <p>"What do we have?" she asked as she stepped into the command center.</p>
      <p>"Not much. We're still running down known telekinetics in the area." Vasquez said. It had felt repetitive to the last few days' work, even to Alex's ears, but at the moment they were without other viable options.</p>
      <p>"It's hard because the files don't detail their ranges. So even though," Vasquez looked down at her computer screen for a moment, where a search was happening, and pointed out a name, "<em>Jim Hatch </em>was across town at the time, he could still potentially have done it."</p>
      <p>That was an extreme miss in the documentation somewhere, most likely mutant registration, but Alex didn't have time to let that problem distract her from the task at hand. All it meant was that tracking down who had placed a bomb in Winn's microwave without activating his security system was going to be more difficult. But no crime was perfect. They had to have made a mistake somewhere.</p>
      <p>"We are prioritizing by range though, focusing first on those who were close to Winn's apartment both the night he was attacked and the night his apartment was bombed, and working outward." Vasquez went on to explain that those without air-tight, iron-clad electronic alibis were being interviewed by a team J'onn had created just for this effort (on the same grounds Alex had pitched, that the perp had endangered more than one life now, and his violence was escalating). Unfortunately, most were alibiing out, and more disappointingly, none had any direct connection to Winn or Toyman.</p>
      <p>"I think we might need to consider decoupling the incidents," Vasquez said, after giving Alex a moment to absorb everything she'd said. "We might get better results."</p>
      <p>"No," Alex said firmly. "It's too much of a coincidence for all this to be happening to Winn at the same time. They have to be connected. We just don't understand <em>how </em>yet."</p>
      <p>Vasquez nodded, looking in that moment more exhausted than Alex had ever seen her. "Then we'll stay the path," she said, reaching down and popping open another Monster.</p>
      <p>"Thank you."</p>
      <p>Alex hardly waited until she was out of the command center before dialing Agent Foster, who J'onn would have put in charge of the alibi-investigating team, to see if he needed an extra hand.</p>
      <hr/>
      <p>Late that night, a note slid its way through a small crack in one of the many windows of the DEO's upper floors. Hugging the wall, it made its way around the elevator bank to the agents' quarters, behind the guard outside Winn Schott's room, and under the door. It floated easily across the room and landed on Winn's face.</p>
      <p>Having only fallen asleep moment ago, Winn shot upright, semi-scrambling up the headboard, causing the note to fall onto his lap. It took him a moment to orient himself, before he looked down and squinted at the note in the dim light. Unable to read it, he flipped on the side lamp.</p>
      <p>
        <em>Bomb in the building. Be at the corner of Valley and 8</em>
        <em>th</em>
        <em> in ten minutes. Tell no one, or it detonates early.</em>
      </p>
      <p>It took Winn three reads to really absorb the note, but when he did, his brain began racing to toss out viable solutions. He could call Kara, who could be here in a few seconds, but he had no idea what sort of surveillance whoever wrote the note had on the DEO. Potentially calling Kara could trigger the bomb. Assuming there <em>was </em>a bomb.</p>
      <p>It felt like a trap, but then again, someone had just detonated a bomb in his apartment last night. This needed to be taken seriously.</p>
      <p>He considered calling Alex, or telling Johnson who was sitting outside his room, but he couldn't risk it. He needed to go.</p>
      <p>He was going to have to pass Johnson on his way out though, and somehow convince him not to come along, which meant Winn needed to look like he was heading somewhere on work business, which meant he needed to get out of his pajamas, and <em>fast</em>.</p>
      <p>He quickly pulled on a T-shirt and jeans, fumbling with the plaid overshirt as he palmed his badge and unlocked his door.</p>
      <p>Johnson whirled to face him in an instant.</p>
      <p>"Where are you off to?" he demanded, hand moving back to his hip.</p>
      <p>"Got called into work," Winn lied, then shrugged as he readjusted his watch on his wrist and clipped his badge to his belt. He'd slept with his watch on last night, comforted by the knowledge that Kara was only a button-press away. Now, his fingers had hesitated on the watch's face, but he couldn't risk it. It was possible he was being watched. He had to play this one straight; other lives were at risk.</p>
      <p>"Got a lead on the bank robbery. Someone needs to tell these criminals to work a standard 9-5." He was rambling now and winced internally as the words continued to spill out of his mouth. "Anyway, I'm meeting Alex in the command center to go over the evidence. I'm not leaving the building or anything like that." He bit down on his tongue and forced himself to smile easily.</p>
      <p>"I'll escort you," Johnson said.</p>
      <p>"No need. Alex actually says to take the hour and that I should call you when I'm heading back to my room."</p>
      <p>Johnson looked less than convinced and Winn, knowing time was running short, added, "You don't really want to mess with Alex tonight. She does <em>not </em>sound happy."</p>
      <p>"You'll call me?" Johnson clarified.</p>
      <p>"Before I leave my seat."</p>
      <p>"Okay then." With that, Johnson motioned for Winn to lead the way down the hallway. And as they approached, Winn was worried Johnson was going to follow him down to the command center anyway, but thankfully, the agent just leaned in to swipe his badge, before straightening up again.</p>
      <p>"Before you leave your seat," he repeated, as Winn reached out and punched the button for the main floor. He had considered just punching the one for the garage, but that button was on a totally different row, and it might have made Johnson suspicious.</p>
      <p>Winn would figure it out when they got there. He always did.</p>
      <p>In response to Johnson's affirmation though, Winn nodded, not wanting to draw additional suspicious or scrutiny to his actions. Through the slit in the doors, he saw Johnson nod himself, before walking back to his seat outside Winn's room.</p>
      <p>The second the doors creaked closed, Winn poked the button for the garage. Since they were only going down a floor, he wouldn't have time to pull off the electronics panel and rewire the elevator to skip the main floor. In a movie, sure, but real life didn't work like that. So, the elevator would still stop on the main floor, but hopefully, <em>hopefully</em>, he could hide out of sight until the doors closed again.</p>
      <p>It was a big risk, but it paled in comparison to some of his other options—stairs? On his knee?—so Winn waited, and prayed to whoever was up there that no one was trying to use the elevator from the main floor this early in the morning.</p>
      <p>Pressed against the elevator's wall, Winn was doing his best to make himself one with the polished steel, while his right hand was pressing the 'door close' button at what must have been an Olympic rate in an attempt to speed the situation along.</p>
      <p>Thankfully, luck was on his side, and no one entered the elevator. A few achingly long seconds later, the doors slid closed again and he was on his way to the garage.</p>
      <p>Winn had been keeping count in his head, and his ten minutes were almost up. He'd have to hustle through the garage, but he should still make it to the street corner in time.</p>
      <p>The second the elevator doors opened again, he took off in a jog, ignoring his stiff knee which seemed intent on slowing him down. He ignored it as best he could, and kept up his pace, as the seconds ticked down.</p>
      <p>With fifteen to spare, he exited the garage and rounded the corner to find a dark blue van idling at the corner, its back door open. A masked man stepped out as Winn approached.</p>
      <p>"I'm here," he panted, holding up his hands. "Now disarm the bomb."</p>
      <p>"There is no bomb."</p>
      <p>Before Winn could recognize that the response hadn't come from the man in front of him, a dark material was dragged over his head, and his hands were yanked behind him and ziptied. He was shoved forward, and unable to regain his balance, fell into something hard, horizontal and metallic. He hissed as white-hot pain exploded through his previously-injured right side on contact.</p>
      <p>Around the ringing in his ears, he felt more than heard a second zipping sound, that dug in tightly around his ankles. Then someone shoved Winn's legs closer to his chest, and something behind him was slammed. Then there was running, and the van ground to life and they were moving.</p>
      <p>He had suspected, but now knew he was in the back of the van, which then took a tight right. Winn rolled into the wall and managed to catch a small protrusion with his hands. Instead of rolling back, he used it as leverage to haul himself into a sitting position.</p>
      <p>It did little good though. In the next second, someone shoved Winn roughly to his right and his newfound grip was lost as the van turned the same direction. That person used Winn's disorientation to unfasten his watch and search his pants pockets.</p>
      <p>He heard a crinkle of glass against the ground and understood his watch had been shattered. Which meant he could no longer use it to signal Kara. He wondered if they knew, or if it was just standard bad guy protocol to smash all the things that could contain tech.</p>
      <p>"That was one of a kind," he heard himself say, before he could bite back the words.</p>
      <p>Something hard connected with his cheek, stinging even through the rough material of the hood. He must have bitten his lip since a coppery taste began to spread through his mouth.</p>
      <p>"Shut. Up." A man's voice hissed, not one Winn recognized.</p>
      <p>"Dad!" a voice came from the driver's seat. That one Winn did. It was the one that had threatened his life in the alley, two days ago.</p>
      <p>"I'm not my father," Winn shouted to be heard through the hood. "I'm sorry for what he did, but I'm not like him. I work for the FBI. I help people."</p>
      <p>Then a hand was on his throat, shoving his head roughly into the floor of the van.</p>
      <p>"Shut! Up!" the first man bellowed.</p>
      <p>When the man released him, Winn sucked in a few deep breaths before deciding he needed to figure out where they were at, just in case he got an opportunity to contact his team. Hopefully they were tracking his subdural implant, but he couldn't bank on it.</p>
      <p>"Where are you taking me?" he rasped.</p>
      <p>Winn heard a gun cock and his breath caught in his throat.</p>
      <p>"We don't want to hurt you," the man said. "But we will if you don't shut. The. Hell. Up."</p>
      <p><em>It's a little late for that</em>, Winn thought, but he did close his aching mouth. He then turned his attention to trying to figure out where they were from the little he could hear of his surroundings, hoping his team by now realized he was missing.</p>
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<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Chapter 9</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>After a disappointing twelve hours of driving around the city to interview telekinetics, Alex walked back into the command center, chugging a doubly-caffeinated coffee and hoping for some good news.</p><p>Unfortunately, there was none to be had.</p><p>"How can we have <em>nothing</em>?" Alex tried to keep herself from shouting. "You're telling me every telekinetic in the area that we've interviewed has alibii'd out?"</p><p>"From both incidents, yes," Vasquez said, muffling a yawn behind the back of her hand. "We have their statements though, and are trying to see if any two could have worked together."</p><p>"And we still have no idea how Winn or his father pissed off these telekinetics?"</p><p>"No, ma'am."</p><p>Alex pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling a headache rapidly building. "This is unbelievable." She quickly turned to Vasquez. "Not you or the team. The whole situation. They can and should <em>not </em>be this hard to find." She stared at the wall of screens for a long moment. "You've run all of his cases since he met Kara, right? And any open files about him in HR or at the NCPD?"</p><p>"Everything, ma'am," Vasquez reported sadly. "No viable leads."</p><p>Alex couldn't think of anything to say that didn't sound trite, so she just nodded at Vasquez and walked away.</p><p>She considered calling Winn, just in case he had some radical idea that none of them had thought of yet, but given the hour, he was (hopefully) asleep. With everything that had happened to him over the past three days, he needed a full night's rest, and she didn't have anything critical enough to disrupt that.</p><p>Instead, she pulled out her phone and called Johnson for a status report.</p><p>"Everything alright up there?" she asked as soon as he picked up.</p><p>"Seems to be. Is Agent Schott headed back my way?"</p><p>Alex's heart dropped into her stomach. "What do you mean, 'headed back your way'?"</p><p>"He left around 0400. Said you had called him in."</p><p>"And you didn't go with him?"</p><p>"He assured me you would meet him at the elevator. I take it from your surprise he's not with you?"</p><p>"I haven't seen him since this afternoon—yesterday afternoon…" Her heart dropped again until it was sitting around her knees. "Check his room," she ordered. "Maybe there's some sort of clue to where he went."</p><p>Alex raced back into the command center. "Winn is missing," she announced. "I need to know everything that happened from 0400 when he was last seen in his room until now."</p><p>"Yes, ma'am," Vasquez said, before calling out orders to her team.</p><p>"Looks like he ran through the parking garage at 0405," Henderson, one of the other analysts, said a moment later.</p><p>"Came out on 8th," someone else chimed in.</p><p>"Agent Danvers," a third said. Alex whirled around to face the voice, then back toward the wall of screens when the analyst just pointed.</p><p>It was exterior security footage from the DEO garage. At the very far end, they watched Winn approach a dark van, making conversation with the man standing just inside. Alex's breath caught in her throat as she saw a second masked man sneak up on Winn and throw a bag over his head, before securing his wrists and pushing him into the van. The second man raced around to the passenger's side and climbed in. Not long after they were gone.</p><p>"What can you tell me about that van?" Alex demanded.</p><p>"No plates," someone said.</p><p>"I think we can get the make and model," said another. "We can run that through the—"</p><p>Alex's phone rang and she accepted the call without reading the ID.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"I found a note," Johnson said, then read it.</p><p>Given that almost three hours had passed since Winn had left, it was unlikely the bomb threat was real, but they needed to follow protocol anyway.</p><p>"Sound a code red," Alex announced.</p><p>"Ma'am?"</p><p>"Now, Vasquez!"</p><p>As the fire alarm started blaring, Alex shouted, "Follow standard evac protocol. But bring your tablets. We can't let that van get too far away."</p><p>"Yes, Agent Danvers," the techs called as they grabbed the aforementioned tablets and hurried out of the command center.</p><p>Alex hung up on Johnson and dialed J'onn. "We have a situation sir," she said as she sprinted out of the command center and started her evacuation protocol duties.</p><p>A few minutes later, while evacuation was continuing and floors were being cleared, a small notification appeared on Agent Vasquez's computer. One of the searches she'd started yesterday morning looking for potential alien involvement in unsolved crimes outside of National City had returned a match.</p><p>Unfortunately, in all the chaos, it wouldn't be seen for a while yet.</p><hr/><p>"Tell me we have something," Alex all but screeched ten minutes later, as she approached the huddle of analysts in the DEO parking lot.</p><p>It had taken her that long to run through her checklist, at which point the bomb squad had taken over and was clearing the space more systematically. Kara had been called in as well and was assisting in scanning the building for any signs of the bomb mentioned in the note.</p><p>Given that it had been over three hours since Winn had handed himself over and no explosion had yet occurred, Alex was positive the threat was empty, but she wasn't confident enough to stake her team's lives on it. After all, since this was presumably the same person who had planted the bomb in Winn's microwave, they had the skills required to manufacture one for the DEO.</p><p>"On the bomb or Agent Schott?" one asked, glancing up from his tablet.</p><p>"Either! Both!"</p><p>"We're tracing the van through the city. They were heading east."</p><p>"I don't like the past tense. Where are they now?"</p><p>"Uncertain. We're still tracing it through traffic cam footage."</p><p>"Have they made any stops?"</p><p>"We don't know. The footage isn't consistent. It's possible they stopped between lights."</p><p>"I need someone following the path and checking for signs of Winn. What about his tracker?"</p><p>"Not responding."</p><p>"His phone?"</p><p>"Still in his temp quarters."</p><p>"His watch?"</p><p>"It pinged around the corner at 0408 and hasn't since."</p><p>"Dammit," Alex cursed under her breath. "Try to find a way to get one of them back online."</p><p>"Yes, ma'am," the analysts said as they scattered.</p><p>There was a quick breeze by Alex, not as fast as her sister's, but recognizable as Mon-El.</p><p>"Kara just called," he said as he wiped sleep out of his eyes. "What can I do?"</p><p>Alex took a breath. "You're bomb proof right?"</p><p>"Hypothetically, but—"</p><p>"I need you to help Kara clear the building. Just bound to the next one if you find something."</p><p>If Mon-El was thrown off by the crassness of her request, he didn't show it. He just nodded, then raced into the DEO.</p><hr/><p>They drove for a while, so long that Winn had lost count of time. He must have even drifted off for a bit, since he was jarred awake by the van slowing down.</p><p>He heard the backdoor of the van screech open before he was assailed with the backdraft. Then someone was kneeling beside him, sliding their hands between Winn and the van floor, and in one horrifying beat, Winn understood what their intent was.</p><p>"No!" he cried, thrashing madly and trying to find some sort of hold to grasp onto. But his sluggish body didn't respond as quickly as he wanted; his hands scrabbled against the metal floor, seeking purchase but finding none.</p><p>"Wait, no, please!" he begged as the hands beneath him lifted and sent him rolling toward the open back door. He tried desperately to grab at the hands, feeling just a hint of contact before the floor dropped out from under him.</p><p>He didn't even have time to cry out before he smashed into the ground. Unfortunately his right side took most of the impact again and his vision whited out. He was vaguely able to feel himself rolling down, down, down a gentle, but uneven and sharp slope, before crashing into the bottom of… something.</p><p>He didn't have more time to identify it, because his head collided with something flat and hard, and his world was snatched away.</p><hr/><p>"We have a reading on Agent Schott!" someone cried.</p><p>Alex crossed the parking lot with almost superhuman speed. "Where is he?"</p><p>"175 miles east of the city."</p><p>"Send me his location." Alex pulled out her phone. She wanted to ask Kara, who could fly there and back before they knew otherwise, but in case there really was a bomb, she needed to be here. Fortunately, she knew someone else with mechanical super-speed. "J'onn, I have a line on Winn."</p><p>"Hand over duties to Vasquez," J'onn said. "I'll pick you up on the corner in three."</p><p>"Copy that."</p><hr/><p>When Winn woke, all he was aware of was that it was warm. Hot even. Borderline broiling.</p><p>He was sweating up a storm, especially his head, which was still in the dark bag. The sweat was causing it to stick to his mouth and he shook his head gently to dislodge it. While that solved one problem, it ratcheted up the ache in his head, and Winn had to squeeze his eyes closed as the world rolled around him.</p><p>He was outside—had been thrown out of a van, at a slowish speed, but still. He tried to take some sort of inventory, but his arms were numb from being pinned under him, and his knee felt aflame, but whether that was from the sun or a new injury, Winn wasn't sure.</p><p>He had to get up.</p><p>He couldn't use his hands, so instead he tensed his abs and threw his upper body forward like he was doing a sit up. His arms screamed as the blood flow was restored and his head was spinning so wildly Winn almost threw up. He caught himself at the last moment, not wanting to have that trapped in the bag with him.</p><p>That's when Winn noticed the bag had a gap at the bottom—it had torn on his journey down to wherever he was. Once his circulation was restored to his arms and he could move his shoulder again, Winn gently tilted his neck to rest on his right shoulder and worked on shucking the bag up to neck, past his ear, and eventually high enough that, when he tipped forward, it slid right off.</p><p>Without that protection, the sun beamed into his eyes and Winn immediately ducked his head again, focusing on keeping yesterday's dinner where it was, while his brain throbbed in agony.</p><p>After a while he risked opening his eyes again, still looking downward, and was able to see his torn pants without causing another episode. He lifted his neck marginally and began to assess his injuries. His right knee was bloody, pants torn right over his patella, as were a few places on his left leg. His torso hadn't fared much better, but his knee seemed to have taken the worst of the impact. He wasn't looking forward to moving it.</p><p>His left shoulder blade ached, but didn't feel warm or sticky, so he hoped it was just a bruise, garnered during his collision with the rocks and debris lining the sides of… the drainage ditch he was now sitting in.</p><p>Down here, even though it was only three or four feet, he knew he couldn't be seen from the road.</p><p>He needed to get up there, so he could be rescued.</p><p>He risked a glance left, at his shoulder, not seeing any blood or tears where he knew his tracker was. That was good. Hopefully it was still functioning after being bounced around like it was.</p><p>He needed to get up.</p><p>He leaned against the right side of the ditch and used that to sort of push his way upright. With his ankles still ziptied together, he couldn't <em>not </em>put weight on his right knee, but he tried to lean it against the sloping wall as much as possible and plant with his left as best he could.</p><p>He was out of breath, head aching violently, but he was upright-ish, his head now on level with the road. Bit by bit, he pushed himself up until finally he rolled over the crest.</p><p><em>He could rest here for a minute,</em> he thought as he turned his head away from the sun. Anyone driving by would have a hard time missing him.</p><p>Then, he heard an odd sound that wasn't coming from the road. He squinted up at the sky and saw a car slowing to a stop above him then lowering itself to the ground beside him.</p><p>He must have hit his head harder than he thought, because he was sure of one thing: cars didn't fly. But then he saw two very familiar people get out of the car, and he almost cried in relief.</p><p>"Winn!" Alex cried as she sprinted over to him. She slid to the ground beside him and pulled his head gently onto her lap, while her free hand dug into her pocket for her knife, which she used to cut the zip ties.</p><p>Her mouth was moving, asking a million and one questions, but Winn was just so damn happy to see her, that the minute his hands were free, he pushed himself upright and hugged her.</p><p>"Thank you," he breathed into her shoulder.</p><p>Alex's hands came up to rub his back as she said, "I'll always find you, Winn. I promise."</p><p>They sat like that for a minute, before Alex pulled away. "C'mon," she said, standing and holding out both hands. "Let's get you home."</p>
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<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Chapter 10</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>An extra chapter this week? No, your eyes are not deceiving you!</p><p>Happy Merry Whatever to anything you're celebrating this time of year!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Much to Winn's chagrin, the fact that his brain felt like it was bursting through his skull did little to soften Alex's tirade on their return flight—in J'onn's space ship/car, which Winn <em>would </em>be examining in detail once the simple act of thinking no longer hurt.</p><p>Somewhere between "how he could be so smart and yet so dumb" and "how had he not called anyone, didn't he know there were powered people less than a floor beneath him", Winn allowed himself to zone out. He appreciated Alex's sentiment, but didn't have the mental capacity to absorb her words at that very moment.</p><p>However, when her rant slowed and she'd rubbed a hand down her face, leaving behind a look of extreme consternation that Winn had previously only seen when Kara was missing or in over her head, he'd gathered all the concentration he had left and reached out and took her hand.</p><p>"Sorry," he said with only a slight slur.</p><p>Alex flipped her hand over so she could hold his, then lowered her arm so their intertwined hands rested in the space between them.</p><p>"I'm serious though, Winn," she said after a long moment. "You can't keep going off like you're the only one who's affected."</p><p>Winn opened his mouth to protest, on instinct more than actual verbal comprehension, but Alex wasn't finished. "And yeah, that does sound incredibly hypocritical, but we're focusing on you now, not me. How do you think the rest of us would have reacted if they'd killed you?"</p><p>He hadn't picked up all her words, but enough to get the gist of it. "Wouldn't have given 'em the chance," he mumbled, hoping the way he tightened her hand around hers said what his brain and mouth currently weren't able to.</p><p>"You don't know that. You were gone for <em>three hours</em>. Anything could have happened." Her face fractured again, causing an assortment of emotions to swell inside Winn. Unfortunately, his brain was too foggy to act on any of them.</p><p>"'l try harder," he found himself saying. "Next'ime."</p><p>"There better not be a next time," Alex said, swiping at her eyes before leaning over and wrapping him in a tight hug, which somehow didn't worsen any of his existing aches and pains.</p><p>After a long moment, Alex pulled away. "Now, where does it hurt the worst?"</p><hr/><p>Upon his return to the DEO, Winn had been sent to the showers to rinse off the remnants of the desert, before being guided to the medbay, where he was now sitting, shirtless and only in a pair of long athletic shorts, while Alex and Dr. Amanda Kirby treated his various injuries. They had already hooked him up to a cocktail of fluids and painkillers, Alex had slowly administered a syringe of antibiotics, and most of his smaller cuts and bruises had been disinfected and bandaged.</p><p>"You've got one helluva bruise back here," Dr. Kirby said while prodding gently at his left shoulder blade. "But I don't think it's broken."</p><p>In front of him, Alex was suturing the long side-to-side cut on the front of his knee, which was propped up on a pile of pillows. Winn was watching her intently, both repulsed and fascinated by the needle moving in and out of his numb skin.</p><p>He was so transfixed—okay, so it might have been the painkillers or the concussion he knew he had, not any actual interest in suturing—that he didn't even startle when he heard someone race into the medbay.</p><p>"Oh thank Rao, Winn," that person said. Winn sluggishly recognized the voice and looked up to see Kara standing in the doorway.</p><p>"Better get used to having us around, cos you're not going to have any time to yourself for like the next week," Kara said as she stood next to Winn and gently took his left hand, mindful of the IV in the back of it.</p><p>"We already discussed it," Alex said, tying off the current stitch and snipping the thread. "I'll take tonight for the concussion monitoring. I figured you, Mon-El, James, maybe Maggie and I can work out a pattern until we find this guy."</p><p>Kara nodded. "Absolutely."</p><p>There was a beat of silence while Winn's sluggish brain processed what they were saying. "No," he said, grimacing as he heard himself slur. "No need for that. 'm fine."</p><p>"Uh huh," Kara said, before turning back to Alex and saying something Winn didn't catch.</p><p>Then, Dr. Kirby's face appeared in front of Winn's. "You can lie down now," she offered.</p><p>That sounded good. Winn leaned back into her arm, which was wrapped around his shoulders, until he was lying flat again. She began gently prodding his side and Winn was so tired, he didn't think they'd notice if he grabbed a few.</p><p>Still, for fear of worrying them, he opened his mouth to tell them, but the pull of sleep was too much for him to resist.</p><hr/><p>Kara darted forward the second Winn's eyes closed, but Dr. Kirby threw out an arm, nearly clotheslining her. "Let him rest," she stated, before continuing her examination. "He needs it."</p><p>"How is he?" Kara then asked Alex.</p><p>"You heard about the concussion. Thankfully, it's mild, but he'll need someone to keep an eye on him tonight, just in case. I think this gash on his knee is the only thing that needs stitches. The rest of his injuries are superficial. He'll be sore for a few days and might not be able to look at a screen for long but he should be okay."</p><p>"Okay," Kara said, nodding. Then she looked over at Alex. "I can stay with him for a while. I know you want to check in downstairs."</p><p>Alex nodded. "I should. I just…" she shrugged. "It's silly, but I don't want to leave him. He's been through so much. Every time we go, something else happens."</p><p>"That's why I'm staying," Kara replied. "And like you said, someone will be in the same room with him until we find who did this… and maybe a few days after until we're sure." She tilted her head at the door. "Now shoo."</p><p>"You'll call me if anything happens?"</p><p>"Go, Alex, or I'll run you down to the command center myself."</p><p>After pulling a face at Kara, Alex took one last look at Winn's sleeping form, then stepped out of the medbay. She had only gone a few feet when she saw someone very familiar cresting the stairs.</p><p>"What are you doing here?" she asked, hurrying over to Maggie, who was managing to look both extremely pissed and concerned at the same time.</p><p>"Seriously? I hear about a bomb threat at the DEO and you <em>don't </em>expect me to take the next flight back?" She looked over at Alex. "And don't think you're off the hook for not telling me what was happening with Winn, even though that's not a conversation we need to have now."</p><p>"I did, didn't I? Tell you?" Alex asked, a look of genuine confusion on her face. When Maggie shook her head, Alex winced. "Sorry. It's been a busy four days."</p><p>"How is he anyway?"</p><p>"Bruised. Sore. Mildly concussed. But no serious damage."</p><p>"That's a relief."</p><p>"What about your conference?"</p><p>"Eh, it was almost over anyway. I said you guys needed an emergency consult, which from the looks of things downstairs doesn't seem totally wrong."</p><p>"That bad, huh?" Alex pulled out her phone and began paging through the various updates that had been piling up over the last few hours.</p><p>Maggie's hand closed over the screen, forcing Alex to look up again. "You can do that in a minute. First food, and at least a whole bottle of water."</p><p>She pulled gently on Alex's arm, but Alex dug in her heels. "We're bringing the food back," she countered. "I'll eat it while I get a sitrep."</p><p>Maggie nodded. "I wouldn't expect anything less."</p><hr/><p>Once the DEO had been given the all-clear, Vasquez had returned to her desk and began reorienting herself to where she'd left off. She had just started checking the latest batch of search results that had finished during the evac, when someone spoke up behind her.</p><p>"I know him."</p><p>Vasquez turned to find Mon-El staring at the wall of screens where mugshots of the suspects from a case from De Moines, Iowa were displayed. Three years ago, a department store had been robbed but the camera equipment was so old, the local police had chalked up the gaps in footage to equipment failure. None of their suspects had been charged. Now, after Vasquez expanded the range of her searches for cases with potential alien involvement to the entire continent, it was possible the footage wasn't glitchy, and the masked thief had actually teleported himself around the store.</p><p>"Who?" she queried.</p><p>"That guy." Mon-El pointed not to one of the suspects themselves, but to one of the family and known associates that were grouped underneath each. "He was outside Winn's apartment a few nights ago."</p><p>Vasquez was already switching over to the viewing program, but she had to ask, "How do you know that?"</p><p>"Kara wanted me to see who had been hanging around Winn's place, because they had to know he'd be coming back from the van that late, in order to come up behind him. Simple tactics. Demos hooked me up and we went through them together. Nothing stood out."</p><p>"I don't suppose you have a timestamp?"</p><p>"11:48 on July 8th. Northwest camera."</p><p>Vasquez looked over at Mon-El appreciatively. "Okay then."</p><p>It took her only a few seconds to pull up the footage he specified and, sure enough, after she zoomed in, she could confirm that the man in the security footage matched the man Mon-El had pointed out on their wall.</p><p>"Josh Henderson appears to be our guy," Vasquez said. "We need to call Alex."</p><p>"And tell her what?"</p><p>Vasquez and Mon-El turned to find Alex and Maggie walking into the command center, carrying takeout containers from the cafeteria.</p><p>"Mon-El recognized Josh Henderson, son of Marcus Henderson, who was accused of breaking into a department store in Des Moines three years ago," Vasquez summarized. "He was spotted outside of the store the night of the robbery but the DMPD was never able to prove that he was the man on the camera inside. There were no obvious signs of B&amp;E and the cameras were so poorly placed that there were major blind spots the police thought the criminal exploited. But if we assume Marcus has some sort of teleportation abilities, there could have been nothing wrong with the cameras. And he could have robbed both the department store back then and the bank this week."</p><p>Alex dropped her takeout container on an empty workstation and stepped up to the wall of screens. "Are they registered?"</p><p>"No."</p><p>She let out a long breath. "Let's assume for the moment they are in fact aliens. What's his connection to Winn? Terrestrial or otherwise."</p><p>"None that we could find. The Hendersons never lived in Newark, or National City. They didn't go to the same schools as Winn, their families didn't seem to know each other. Their last reported address is Detroit, Michigan five years ago."</p><p>"What about to Toyman?"</p><p>"Nothing we can find. If there's a connection, we're not seeing it."</p><p>"But we've connected Henderson to this case. Circumstantially. All this has to be about this case." She rolled her neck as she looked at the screen. "Did Winn see something and not realize it?"</p><p>"On the night the bank was robbed, Winn and Guardian were on the other side of town," Maggie spoke up.</p><p>Alex looked back at her in surprise.</p><p>"What? If they're going to run around in my city, you can bet I know where they are on any given night."</p><p>"This might sound a little out there," Vasquez interrupted, "but maybe their connection with Winn is in the future."</p><p>Alex turned to her. "Explain."</p><p>"Well we've eliminated the past and the present. If we're thinking aliens, then the future is a definite possibility."</p><p>"So it could be something Winn does in the future that they're trying to avoid. By distracting him, they're trying to change the outcome of whatever it is. And by using Toyman, they kept us from putting this together sooner." Alex's brain was racing to put the pieces together. "Which means it has to be <em>this</em> case. Otherwise the timing doesn't make sense."</p><p>"Not necessarily," Vasquez interjected. "If we consider that whatever has happened/will happen over the next few days has a strong influence on Winn's future, they could be trying to throw him off a future case."</p><p>That made a warped amount of sense, but it also made their case way more complicated if they had to start considering all the cases Winn <em>would </em>contribute to in the future.</p><p>"But how would they know what's going to happen?" Hernandez, another analyst, asked.</p><p>"One of them could be psychic."</p><p>Alex entertained that train of thought for about a second, before she shook her head rapidly to dislodge the notion. There was too much circumstantial evidence piling up around the Hendersons to ignore.</p><p>"We need to deal with the facts," she stated. "At this point, it doesn't matter how or why whoever it is is trying to get to Winn. They've been successful a few times; we can't let it happen again." As the room nodded, Alex continued, "We can place Josh outside Winn's apartment. Have we checked if Marcus fits the description of the man in the bank vault?"</p><p>"He does. But the description is so vague it can fit anyone."</p><p>"How about the two men that abducted Winn?"</p><p>"It could be. But those profiles are extremely general too."</p><p>"It's enough for us to get a warrant. Put out a BOLO for both of them, and let's get someone manning the hotline."</p><p>"Yes, ma'am."</p><p>"Let's assume they're headed out of the city, and that they're changing vehicles. Get a BOLO out on the van too, and keep scanning from where we found Winn."</p><p>"Yes, ma'am."</p><p>As the analysts returned to work, Maggie walked up to Alex. "Hey," she said softly.</p><p>"There has to be something else we can do," Alex said, without looking away.</p><p>"There is. Eating and preparing for round two. Once your team finds the Hendersons—and they will—you need to be ready to go."</p><p>Alex shook her head. "I can't." She finally looked over at Maggie. "Let's go to Al's and show their photos. Maybe someone has seen them."</p><p>Maggie nodded slowly. "But I'm driving, and you'll eat on the way."</p><p>"Deal."</p><hr/><p>"Have you seen either of them?" Alex asked Stella a short while later. She had eaten a slightly rubbery cafeteria burger and drank a bottle of water on the way over, and though she wouldn't admit it to Maggie, she didn't feel as jittery.</p><p>Stella looked at both pictures and, to Alex's surprise, nodded. "This one," she said, pointing to Josh. "He was here two nights ago. Was talking to a Kridisian named X'tels. Was only here for about a beer, left a decent tip."</p><p>"Do you know where we can find X'tels?"</p><p>Stella nodded and pointed down the bar. "At the end, with the red horns."</p><p>X'tels saw them turn in his direction and hurriedly pushed himself away from the bar, almost knocking the stool over in the process.</p><p>"Why do they always run?" Maggie asked as she and Alex began to pursue X'tels through the bar.</p><p>He ran through the service door which led into Al's kitchen. The door was swinging closed, meaning Alex and Maggie couldn't see what was happening on the other side, but a second later, Alex heard a very familiar clunk. Sure enough, as she and Maggie entered, Guardian was standing just inside the doorway to the alley, shield held high.</p><p>"Olsen," Maggie muttered once she was in earshot of James, before kneeling down and cuffed X'tel's hands behind his back.</p><p>"Thanks for the call," Guardian responded. "So this guy knows the Hendersons?"</p><p>"The who?" X'tels spat through a mouthful of red.</p><p>"Can you guys take that outside?" Bernard, the chef, asked, staring at the blood in horror.</p><p>"Sure." James easily hauled X'tels to his feet and escorted him into the alley. He dropped him by the dumpsters, making sure his feet were under him so as to not cause additional injury.</p><p>"What did this guy want?" Alex said, stepping closer to X'tels, who was now leaning up against the dumpster, and showing him Josh Henderson's photo.</p><p>"I ain't seen him."</p><p>Alex looked over at Maggie, who rolled her neck and cracked her knuckles. "She's been sitting at a conference all week. I'm sure she'd love a chance to jump back in." She held the photo closer. "If you don't tell us what you know about Josh Henderson, I'll let her."</p><p>The door to Al's flew open and the three of them turned just enough to be able to watch both the alley's new arrival and X'tels, who tried to make an escape before James stepped over to block his path.</p><p>A short, balding man stepped out of Al's kitchen, hands steepled in front of him.</p><p>"Perhaps I can be of assistance," he said, in a high-pitched voice. "I overheard this is about Winn."</p><p>"We never said that," Alex said, stepping forward, hand reaching for her sidearm.</p><p>"Oh." The man looked down. "Then you thought it." He stepped closer. "Winn is such a nice boy. Helped me with my taxes last year. Goodness knows I can't tell what number is supposed to go where."</p><p>"You're psychic?"</p><p>The man nodded. "Somewhat limited, but it gets the job done." He held out his hands to X'tels. "May I?"</p><p>Alex looked back at X'tels. "Are you going to tell us or is Professor X here going to have to search your brain for it?"</p><p>"Let him try."</p><p>The man bunched his fingers together, lifted them to his mouth then spat on them. "It conducts my electrical impulses better," he explained as he walked over to X'tels. "Hold him still, please. It won't hurt, but the stiller he is, the easier it will be for me."</p><p>James bent down and threw an arm over X'tels' chest, pinning him lightly but effectively to the dumpster.</p><p>The man knelt down by James, then reached out and placed his fingers on X'tels's temples, instantly turning an alarming shade of white. He only sat like that for a few seconds before he fell backwards onto his bottom, his fingers locked out.</p><p>Maggie kept an eye on X'tels, who seemed unaffected, while Alex knelt next to the man, who was slowly opening his eyes.</p><p>"Henderson was here about a dark blue van. X'tels lent it to him. License plate TY983M. Henderson is going to leave it at the gas station in Palm View sometime tonight." As the man rattled off the exact address, he looked over at Alex. "Maybe you can catch him there."</p><p>Alex looked over at Maggie, who sighed unhappily.</p><p>"You and Kara go," she said. "I'll go sit with Winn."</p><p>Alex quickly embraced Maggie. "You're the best."</p><p>As Alex pulled out her phone and hurried down the alleyway, Maggie looked down at X'tels, and said, "Now, wouldn't it have been easier to just tell us?"</p><hr/><p>The next thing Winn knew, he was lying down, still in the medbay from the sound of it. And someone was sitting next to him.</p><p>"Maggie?" he slurred out through the world's driest mouth after cracking open an eye. He quickly licked his lips, wiped his mouth on the back of a shaky hand and said, "What're 'u doin' here?"</p><p>"Someone had to keep an eye on Alex's kid brother and make sure he doesn't do anything else stupid and self-sacrificing while they're rendezvousing in Palm View."</p><p>"'m two years older than her," Winn protested automatically, realizing too late he'd taken the bait. It took another moment for his addled brain to process the rest of Maggie's statement. "Wait. Palm View? What's in Palm View?"</p><p>He struggled to sit upright, and in a split second, Maggie had sprung off her seat and was using her full height to gently press against Winn's shoulder, keeping him flat.</p><p>"I'm going to tell you, but you are not going to leave this bed or ask me for a laptop, do you understand? I've heard about your concussion and your previous ones. I will not be responsible for your permanent brain damage."</p><p>Winn shook his head quickly, then winced.</p><p>"See," Maggie said, as she released his shoulder and sat back down. "Like that."</p><p>She waited another moment and when Winn just stared expectantly at her, she proceeded to fill him in on the happenings up until that point.</p><p>"Barry," Winn said, when Maggie got to the part about the psychic old man at Al's.</p><p>"He really came through for you. Said you helped him with his taxes last year."</p><p>This time, in lieu of nodding, Winn just lifted his shoulder, forgetting about its collision with a rather large rock. He winced again, to which Maggie's jaw tightened.</p><p>"Nice guy," he tried to cover. "Great store, great selection. Can't tell an 2a from an 8b though."</p><p>"Uh huh," Maggie said. She stared at Winn for another moment, then continued, "They're trying to beat the Hendersons to Palm View. Your fancy SAT imagery of the gas station—which you will need to hook me up with when this is all done—shows the van isn't and hasn't been there, so we still have some time."</p><p>"Kara is there?" Winn asked, after his aching brain had caught up.</p><p>"In street clothes. She isn't looking very casual though."</p><p>Winn snorted, which, thankfully, didn't worsen the throbbing in his head.</p><p>"Don't suppose you have access to the comms..." he said. When Maggie glared at him, he gently raised his left arm as much as he could. "It's not a laptop or a screen. And I'm not leaving my bed. I just want to hear what's going on."</p><p>"If you promise to close your eyes and just listen, I'll share," Maggie replied.</p><p>When Winn nodded, she slipped the spare earbud hanging in her lap into Winn's ear.</p><p>"You know, you can send that to the medbay's sound system," Winn said, once he was able to hear the muffled breaths over comms.</p><p>"When your head is better," Maggie replied as she settled back into her chair. "I'll take you up on that."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Fun fact: It is canon that Winn is two years older than Alex. It just doesn't seem quite right though, so I went for a humorous take on it. You can bet Winn is going to protest vehemently when anyone calls him Alex's little brother, even though privately, he doesn't mind it as much. :)</p><p>Now that we have a lead on the Hendersons, Maggie is back, and Winn is awake, all we need to do is catch the bad guys, before Winn starts his two-week injury leave, which will go about as well as you'd expect.</p><p>Just one more chapter to go. Thanks for all your support thus far!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Chapter 11</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>In case you guys didn't see, I posted an extra chapter last week in celebration of whatever folks celebrate this time of year. It is the immediate aftermath to Chapter Nine, so you'll want to make sure you read that first.</p><p>Hope you enjoy the final chapter!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Alex couldn't remember the last time she'd been this amped up. Maybe when Kara had been taken by Cadmus… or when she'd disappeared off-world… okay, clearly she felt like this every time something happened to her sister.</p><p>It was the first time she'd felt like this for someone she hadn't grown up with, though. Emotions were warring within her: frustration, anger, and a slightly murderous instinct, which she promptly forced back under lock and key. This all had to be aboveboard. She couldn't do anything brash in Palm View. The Hendersons needed to be cleanly arrested to serve a full sentence for what they'd done to Winn.</p><p>For Winn, she could bury these feelings and get the job done.</p><p>They were taking the unbranded DEO jet, which was, of course, modified to fly faster than a commercial aircraft. She had never been on it before, but J'onn and the board used it frequently to travel to and from clandestine meetings with other ghost agencies.</p><p>The whole trip, Alex kept an eye on the security footage from the gas station and had yet to see the van. Hopefully they were truly going to beat the Hendersons there.</p><p>They had to.</p><p>After the jet landed on the uneven ground behind the gas station with the stealth shielding up, Alex took a quick scan. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, she motioned for the team to deplane.</p><p>They set up around the gas station behind hills or outcroppings and one even squeezed in behind the freezer. Each was responsible for planting a point of the teleportation-blocking shield, a miniaturized version of the one protecting the DEO, in the ground. It would be activated once the Hendersons were in range, effectively trapping them in the vicinity.</p><p>Then, they waited.</p><p>And waited.</p><p>And waited.</p><p>"Van inbound," Agent McCarthy finally reported.</p><p>In her position behind the propane stand, Alex took two deep breaths and checked her weapon again as a dark blue van slid into the station and parked in the farthest spot from the small convenience store.</p><p>"Is it the right van?" she asked.</p><p>"Affirmative," Agent Jones replied only a beat later.</p><p>"Positive ID on the Hendersons?"</p><p>The passenger's side door of the van opened.</p><p>"Affirmative," Agent Filben stated. "Both Josh and Marcus."</p><p>Alex punched the button to activate the teleportation-blocking shield, as she silently rose to her feet. "Then let's go get 'em."</p><hr/><p>The next time Winn woke, Maggie was gone and James was slouching beside his bed, tapping away on his phone.</p><p>"H'y," Winn slurred around a desert-dry throat.</p><p>James startled upright. "You're awake," he said with a softness that belied his surprise. His hands were on the move a split second later, fetching Winn a glass of water, which the agent gratefully accepted. "How are you feeling?"</p><p>"I can say with complete certainty that literally everything hurts," Winn was able to say after knocking back half the glass. He paused to down the rest before continuing, "but I'll be fine. Nothing permanent."</p><p>James nodded in relief. "Let's keep it that way, okay?"</p><p>"You don't have to worry about that. I'm done playing the damsel in distress. It's one of your turns now." As Winn lay back against his pillow, a faint memory floated through his brain. "Was Alex here?"</p><p>James nodded again. "She spelled Maggie after Palm View and I—"</p><p>Winn shot into a sitting position, causing the machines he was connected to to blare. "Palm View!" he gasped. "What happened? Did they get the guy? Is everyone okay?"</p><p>Suddenly, James' shoulder was on his, and the back of the bed was moving up so Winn could lean again it.</p><p>"Calm down and we'll talk," James said, his tone laced with concern.</p><p>Winn nodded hurriedly as he sucked in a few deep breaths. "You'd better start explaining," he said, once the monitors began to quiet.</p><p>"The ambush went fine," James reported. "Both Hendersons are in custody. No one was hurt."</p><p>"Did they say why they were after me?"</p><p>"The son had some sort of episode while he was being arrested. Copped to his whole involvement in exchange for a shorter sentence for him and his father."</p><p>"Episode?"</p><p>"Apparently he can see the future. Or parts of it. He saw you delivering the testimony that got his dad, who robbed the bank last Sunday, arrested. So he tried to scare you off: first by moving stuff around in your apartment, then by ambushing you in the alley. He swears though that he didn't mean for the bomb to be quite so powerful. It was only supposed to blow up your microwave."</p><p>Winn started to sit up again, but James' hand tightened on his shoulder, keeping him resting against the bed. "But how did he get into my apartment?"</p><p>"Technically, he didn't—"</p><p>"Then how—"</p><p>"I'm trying to explain," James groused. He waited for Winn to close his mouth and gesture for him to continue before saying, "I'm sure his explanation will make a lot more sense to you, but apparently he can control waves? He used them to trick your security system into thinking the sensors were unbroken, then used the air to push things around. That's how he got the note into your room at the DEO too... And before you ask how he knew where you were, apparently he can use the waves to sense, so he just followed them around until he found something that resembled you." James shrugged. "It's all on Alex's helmet cam if you want to hear how he phrased it. That's the best I can do."</p><p>"Waves." Winn was quiet as his aching brain raced to process that information. He was going to have to find a way to protect against that. A double-blind test of the system itself in a way that would identify this. It was something the DEO—</p><p>"Hey." There was a tapping against Winn's shoulder, bringing him back to the present.</p><p>"You can worry about all that later," James was saying. "Right now, you just need to focus on getting better, and not making your concussion any worse in the process."</p><p>Concussion. Right. He'd forgotten about that. That explained a lot.</p><p>"Did Alex say when I could go home?"</p><p>"Tomorrow, if everything looks good." Then, James reached back for the small table between the two beds. "Speaking of, I have something for you from your class."</p><p>He brought out a folded piece of cardstock with a variety of scrawls across it. Winn took the card and pulled it close to read the multi-colored messages scrawled over it, then moved it further away when his head started to hurt.</p><p>"Do you want me to read it to you?" James asked.</p><p>As much as Winn wanted to say 'no', he nodded and handed the card back.</p><p>James read each individual message out loud, described any drawings accompanying them, and then went into great detail about Saturday's class, and how everyone had seemed to really enjoy getting outside and (mindfully) fighting each other.</p><p>When he looked back up again, Winn had fallen asleep again. James, who had pulled out his phone to show Winn a video of the class in action, just exited out of the viewing app. In hindsight, forcing Winn to squint at a small phone screen probably wasn't the best idea, no matter how great the footage was. It would be ready whenever his brain was healed enough to see it.</p><hr/><p>
  <em>Epilogue</em>
</p><p>It had been two long weeks while Winn recovered from both his mugging and getting thrown out of a van. The Hendersons insisted they'd only been going five or so miles an hour, but it had still been almost a week before Winn was able to walk without pain, or use his limbs the way they were supposed to function. It had taken five of those days for his head to stop aching every time the room got a little brighter, or his phone lit up with a message. Now, he still had screen time restrictions, but he was able to work for an hour or two straight before his head demanded a break.</p><p>In that time, he had to testify that Josh Henderson's voice was the one that had hissed in his ear in the alley a week and a half ago; and had to go into detail about the note, the van, the threats, his injuries and his recovery. In the end, the trial was decided very quickly and both Hendersons had received long sentences that even Alex and J'onn seemed happy with, considering the number of people they'd put or threatened to put in harm's way, and neither would be paroled anytime soon.</p><p>Almost independent of that, the team was still acting like the Hendersons weren't in custody. Someone was always at Winn's apartment in the evening, and despite his protests, throughout the night: Kara, Maggie, James, Alex, J'onn and even once he found Vasquez passed out on his couch when he stumbled into the living room, rubbing sleep from his eyes. If they weren't around (because they all had day jobs), an agent was by his side each time he left his apartment for groceries, PT or various doctors' appointments. Even with all the extra eyes on him, he had no doubt Alex was tracking his cell phone, and made sure to leave his location on but locked down just to her pings to assuage her.</p><p>A few days into his sick leave, Kara had presented him with a new watch, this one too with a call button.</p><p>"I hope you don't need to use it," she had said as she handed it over. "But if you do, I'll be here."</p><p>With words failing him, he had pulled her into a tight hug instead. "I know you will. And thank you."</p><p>It was Barry though who surprised Winn the most by asking for his address and coming over a few times a week, after the electronics store closed, to play board games. Apparently, he had quite the collection and was excited to teach Winn some strategy games from his native planet.</p><p>"Thank you for what you did," Winn had said the first time Barry had stopped by, as he moved what was most similar to a queen in chess across the game board. "At Al's. Alex told me."</p><p>"I was glad to be able to repay your kindness," Barry replied, unhinging his jaw to slide in an entire slice of pizza. "I'd still probably be working on my taxes if you hadn't offered to help."</p><p>"Maybe next year I'll write a program for you. Asks you the fields and then it fills the form out itself. Like those tax programs you see on the billboards, but easier to understand. And free." Winn looked up at Barry as his brain churned through a few designs. "Maybe there's something to that."</p><p>Barry nodded. "But not until your concussion scan comes back clean."</p><p>Winn pulled a face. "Who told you? Alex? Maggie? <em>James</em>? He doesn't seem like the type but—"</p><p>"No one told me," Barry interrupted. "I can sense it. Your brain activity isn't quite like it usually is." With that, he pushed the pizza box toward Winn. "Eat up. Alex will kill me if you have less than a thousand calories tonight."</p><p>Winn just smiled and did as he'd been instructed.</p><p>As grateful as he was for all the visits, as his head stopped aching and his body started healing, Winn found himself bored. The DEO was hardly a standard 9-5 and he had more free time now than he knew what to do with.</p><p>Despite the fact that he wasn't allowed within 100 feet of the DEO for his mandatory two weeks of sick leave—on pain of J'onn extending his sick leave by one day for each offense—Winn had heard a comprehensive list of Josh's abilities presented in court and been unable to shake the designs for improvements to their alarm system that kept popping into his head. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and sketched out a solution, which he then sent to Vasquez to build for the DEO.</p><p>While that technically wasn't in violation of J'onn's mandate, almost instantly, he'd received a message back from Alex reminding him that his fourteen days weren't up yet.</p><p><em>My head doesn't hurt anymore</em>, he'd texted back, <em>I can do a little bit.</em></p><p>
  <em>Do you want your sick leave extended?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>No.</em>
</p><p><em>Then read a book, pick up a hobby, get caught up on all your shows. </em>Then a beat later, <em>Just please don't do anything Winn-ish. I don't know if my heart can take it.</em></p><p><em>I know you mean that with love, but I take offense to my name being used as an adjective. </em>He saw her typing and quickly added, <em>But don't worry, I'll fine something safe and boring to do. </em>Then he closed his phone and looked around his apartment for inspiration.</p><p>He kept it pretty clean normally, but post-explosion, someone had gone through and really made it shine. He scanned his Netfilms queue but didn't see anything jump out at him. He flipped through a book lying on the coffee table, but couldn't get into that either. James was covering his BBBS class tomorrow again, just in case someone tangentially related to the Hendersons wanted revenge for locking them up, which meant he didn't have to create a lesson plan. Barry had refused his help in the store, and his muscles were sore from PT this morning, so any sort of real exercise was out.</p><p>Finally, while staring at the wall and praying for an idea, the bright, shiny microwave and oven, which he hadn't purchased but had been delivered two days ago while he was at physical therapy, stared back at him.</p><p>"How hard can baking be?" he asked as he leveraged himself off the couch. It was just chemistry after all.</p><p>Suffice it to say, James was less than impressed when he opened the door to find smoke billowing out of the oven and Winn racing across the living room, fire extinguisher in hand, yelling, "Burnt the cookies. It's fine. Everything's fine. How are you?"</p><p>Alex's face was set similarly the next night as she poked at the bubbling sludge Winn had pulled from the oven. She wasn't sure how he'd managed it, but it resembled something off the set of a sci-fi B-movie.</p><p>"Did you follow the recipe?" she asked as she poked it with a fork and watched it pull away.</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p>"Exactly?"</p><p>"Well, I could only find a cup, so I eyeballed the smaller measurements."</p><p>Alex rolled her eyes as she set the fork aside. "Do you eyeball things in chemistry?"</p><p>"No." Grabbing an oven mitt, Winn popped open the trash can lid with his foot and dumped the sludge in. "But I was hoping the batter would be more forgiving."</p><p>The third night, Kara found herself staring at a plate of perfectly-circular cookies.</p><p>"Oh, c'mon," Winn groaned, taking a cookie off the pile and bending it in half to show her the insides. "It's fully cooked, and it tastes pretty decent if I say so myself."</p><p>Kara took the top cookie off the pile, examined it, then bit down gingerly. Almost immediately, her expression brightened. "These are really good!" she exclaimed, inhaling the rest of it and diving for more.</p><p>"See?" Winn said, taking a bite of the cookie he'd broken. "It's just chemistry."</p><p>With elementary baking mastered, he'd tried to ward off boredom by building a vertical Pringles ring, without the help of YouTube. It had posed a decent challenge, but still Winn had it mastered it in under an hour. With that out of the way and his other options still looking equally uninteresting, he'd run across a Reddit article detailing instructions for making plasma in the microwave with grapes. He'd almost tried it, before remembering his promise to Alex—potentially ruining his new microwave for science definitely fell under the 'Winn-ish' category—so he dropped onto the couch to catch up on his shows.</p><p>Thankfully, once he got started, they were far more riveting than he'd been hoping for. With not much else to do, he'd flown through them, and was on the fifth season of <em>Silicon Valley</em>, when he realized he'd deciphered the binary plastered behind the presenter in the current episode without thinking.</p><p><em>I've officially reached the end of Netfilms,</em> he'd texted Alex. <em>Please give me something to do. I'll walk dogs, fetch coffee, build firewalls, but </em>please, <em>give me</em> something.<em> Anything! I'm officially going section eight here.</em></p><p>After sending the message, he decided to roll the dice and call her instead.</p><p>"I don't even have to be <em>in </em>the DEO," he began as soon as she picked up. "I can do some research gathering here—"</p><p>"When you're cleared by Dr. Kirby, you can come in again," she interjected.</p><p>"Alex, please." He must have been unable to keep the desperation out of his voice, since she didn't hang up on him, and made a noncommittal sound for him to continue. "I'm about to start proving P v. NP for fun. Please give me something small—microscopic even—to do."</p><p>Alex let out a long sigh and then cursed under her breath. "Fine. I have some journals that need to be reviewed. By hand. But before I send them over, I need your word you aren't going to access the DEO server, or spend a bunch of time staring at a screen while your fancy programs do all the work."</p><p>He was staring at a screen almost all week anyway, making his way through his Netflims queue, but he didn't feel the need to point it out. If it meant doing something useful, he'd read the damn books by candlelight if he had to.</p><p>"I promise," he said.</p><p>"Good. I'll bring them by tonight then. With some Chinese?"</p><p>"Thank you," Winn breathed in relief. "And yeah, that sounds great. My treat—no arguing, you bought last time."</p><hr/><p>The journals were rather elementarily written, so it didn't take Winn long to draw a few connections between them, and create an ordering of the most viable leads. However, it did last him until his (hopefully-final) appointment with Dr. Kirby on Friday, where he was cleared for a return to work on Monday.</p><p>They'd all celebrated at Al's that night, and for the first time in two weeks, none of his friends made motion to follow him back to his apartment for the night. He did though run into Johnson outside Al's.</p><p>"How long does Alex have you staying with me?" Winn asked as they walked back to his apartment.</p><p>"A week."</p><p>"I'll see if I can get it down to less," Winn promised. He had been expecting something like this though, and when Johnson went to retrieve his folding chair, Winn opened the package he'd ordered online and handed over a seat cushion.</p><p>"You're more than welcome to use my couch," he said as Johnson examined the cushion carefully. "But if you're going to sit out here, you should at least be semi-comfortable."</p><p>"I'm fine out here," Johnson said, dropping the cushion onto his chair and sitting down. "Good night, Agent Schott."</p><p>"Good night, Agent Johnson."</p><hr/><p>As weird as it was to not have his friends sleeping over, especially now that Winn had gotten used to the extra bodies around his apartment, their absence also signaled a return to normal.</p><p>Which was how he felt Monday morning, wearing a plaid shirt and chinos, as the elevator lifted him to the DEO command center.</p><p>As the door opened, Winn heard a single clap. Then another. Then another, but faster. The claps sped up until they were almost indistinguishable from each other, and a round of cheers broke out.</p><p>He smiled widely at his team, who were assembled in the landing and leading the slow clap.</p><p>"God I missed you guys," he said as they swarmed around him, clapping him on the shoulder and vocalizing their joy that he was back. He hadn't known he was this popular—though from the general sense of relief emanating from his team, he suspected some of it might be joy that they had an extra set of hands splitting the workload again again—but he was too happy to be back to let such trivialities ruin his day.</p><p>Vasquez was the last one to approach, waiting until the rest of the crowd had dispersed before planting herself in front of him. Winn held out his hand uncertainly, but to his surprise, she pulled him into a hug.</p><p>"If you ever do something like that again," she whispered into his ear, tightening her hold ever so slightly, "not even Alex will be able to find your body."</p><p>Then she released him, her smile back to full wattage.</p><p>"I missed you too, Bri," Winn replied, making a heart out of his hands.</p><p>Her smile now genuine, she batted away his hands and headed back to the command center.</p><p>"C'mon, Schott," she said, motioning for him to follow. "We've got a big day ahead of us."</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>And that's a wrap on <i>Scare Tactics</i>!</p><p>Thank you all for your wonderful support throughout this fic! I appreciate each and every one of the notes, alerts, and shares.</p><p>Happy New Year!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for reading! I'd love to know what you thought!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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